/ 18 November 2009

Zambian editor to face trial over court article

The editor-in-chief of Zambia’s only private newspaper will face trial for contempt of court over an article about a colleague’s trial on pornography charges, a judge ruled on Wednesday.

Post newspaper editor Fred M’membe will stand trial for violating a gag order on the pornography case, in which the paper’s news editor Chansa Kabwela was cleared on Tuesday, Magistrate David Simusamba ruled.

”I have found the accused with a case to answer,” Simusamba said.

Kabwela was accused of circulating pornography by emailing a government official and women’s groups unpublished photos of a woman giving birth on a hospital sidewalk during a doctors’ strike.

M’membe was slapped with contempt of court charges after the newspaper had on August 27 published an article headlined ”Chansa Kabwela case: A comedy of errors”, written by columnist Muna Ndulo.

In his ruling, Simusamba said that the article was published despite a gag order banning comments on the case during the trial.

M’membe’s trial is due to begin on December 4. — Sapa-AFP