A Security officer at National Assembly has told the Lusaka magistrates Court that he witnessed Chiengi lawmaker Given Katuta spit on Times of Zambia photo journalist Henry Chunza, just like spitting cobras shoot venom from their fangs in defense.
In his testimony before magistrate Idah Phiri, Julius Tembo said Katuta fumed upon being captured by the photographer immediately she emerged out of the chamber, when speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti suspended her from parliament for seven days for misconduct.
“While this was happening, I was at the reception and noticed a gentleman who was standing by the stairs which lead to the ground floor from the chamber. I noticed he was positioning himself to take photos, like they always do, to capture the MP,” Tembo said.
“This gentleman is Henry Chunza from Daily Mail. When the honourable was now coming out of the chamber, she saw this gentleman pointing a camera at her, taking a picture.”
He said Katuta ordered Chunza to delete her pictures from his camera as she charged towards him.
“She paced up and I got concerned that probably the Honourable would grab the gentleman. I started following her. We were now descending to the ground floor of the chamber,”Tembo narrated.
“The two, MP and journalist, were directly looking at each other at this time. I quickly advised the gentleman (Chunza) to get down so that she cannot reach him, which he did.
It was at this time that the honorable was charging at him as he went down the stairs.”
He said Katuta and Chunza engaged in a cat and mouse game as she pursued him demanding that he deletes her pictures.
The witness said upon Katuta noticing that she could not catch up to Chunza’s speed she bend over the stair guard rails and spat on Chunza who was rushing to the ground floor.
“When this gentleman was now descending and the Honourable, who had descending disadvantage, leaned over the concrete guard rail, and I saw her spitting at the gentleman who was rushing down,”Tembo said.
“I was pleading with her to say, “honourable we will deal with this issue”, but she was tense at that time, we kept on going. I directed one of the officers, Mr Sinkwaya, to quickly get the gentleman and move him away from the honourable.”
He said Katuta’s Shangombo counterpart Mubika Mubika pleaded with her to calm down and let it go but she was bent on having the photographer delete her pictures.
“After some protracted discussions, she complied and she withdraw herself from the pursue. She said to Mr Mubika Mubika to make sure the contents are deleted. Honorable Mubika Mubika requested me to take him where this gentleman had been taken to, which I did,” said Tembo
“When we went to where Mr Chunza was, we found him in the office, with the camera on the table. Honourable Mubika Mubika asked him to delete the pictures he took. Mr Chunza obliged, and showed the honourable that the pictures were deleted.”
During cross examination by Joseph Chirwa Tembo said he did not hear the woman of the cloth refer to Chunza as a son of a dog in vernacular “we mwana wambwa iwe!” neither did she call him a son of a bitch.
In this matter Katuta is charged with threatening violence and common assault for harassing Chunza and gleeking on him.
Trial continues on July 10.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba May 18, 2024.
