Democratic Congress leader, Imboela, denies accusations of defamation against Hamasaka

National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader, Saboi Imboela, has denied defaming State House Chief Communications Specialist, Clayson Hamasaka, stating that he was not the only Hamasaka in the country.

Imboela told the court that she posted Hamasaka and not Clayson Hamasaka on her Facebook page called Saboi Imboela -SI.

She testified in her defense that she knows five Hamasaka’s in the United party for National Development(UPND) whom she would call to present their national registration card(NRC) before court for verification.

In this matter, Imboela, 45, of Lilayi pleaded not guilty to two counts of Libel Contrary to Section 191 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

When the matter came up for defense on Thursday before principal magistrate Sylvia Munyinya, she informed the court that she had a good relationship with the complainant and had been friends since 2002.

Imboela narrated that she had nothing against Hamasaka as they were still good friends and have never quarreled.

“Hamasaka and I met in 2002, I was an artist and he was a lecturer at Evelyn Hone college and later on we met in the UPND and he was a media director and I was part of the media team. We have been good friends and we have never argued since that time,” she said.

She told the court that all the witnesses testified that despite the post on her page, they still hold Hamasaka in high esteem.

Imboela further submitted that the police called her for a different case, in which it was claimed that she had defamed the president but that court charges changed to defamation of Hamasaka.

“I was very frightened when I heard the testimony of arresting officer that he received instructions to apprehend me, the police had no call out, they were banging the gate and hooting, that’s why I resorted on not coming out,” she said.

Imboela denied all the allegations against her, stating that she never defamed Clayson Hamasaka.

Earlier, Magistrate Munyinya found Imboela with a case to answer after she analyzed the evidence adduced by prosecution and also considered defense’s submission and found a prima facie case against her.

It is alleged that Imboela on September 9, 2022 jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, with intent to defame, unlawfully did publish defamatory matters “Against Clayson Hamasaka on a Facebook page called SABOI IMBOELA-SI, stating as follows “his farm is being developed by the Chinese & is the character i said had permanent rooms and hotels, sleeping with women that want jobs in the UPND. You are the ghost terrorizing women.”

It is alleged that on September 9, 2022, in Lusaka jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, with intent to defame, unlawfully did publish defamatory matters against Clayson Hamasaka on her Facebook page called SABOI IMBOELA-SI as follows “Hamasaka was caught red handed by the wife muchigololo, even as we speak marriage ili pama rocks, but somehow u want to play a personal war with me? We shall see who will regret.

The court has adjourned the matter to September 5, 2023 for continuation of defense.

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