(MISA/IFEX) – The general manager of Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL), Jika Nkolokosa, and one of his reporters, Maxwell Ng’ambi, have been charged with criminal libel for writing negatively about Health Minister Hetherwick Ntaba. Both journalists pleaded not guilty before the Lilongwe Magistrate Court on 29 May 2006. According to the charge sheet, the journalists, “knowing […]
(MISA/IFEX) – The general manager of Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL), Jika Nkolokosa, and one of his reporters, Maxwell Ng’ambi, have been charged with criminal libel for writing negatively about Health Minister Hetherwick Ntaba. Both journalists pleaded not guilty before the Lilongwe Magistrate Court on 29 May 2006.
According to the charge sheet, the journalists, “knowing it to be false and with intent to defame”, published an article alleging that the minister was implicated in an audit report for failing to account for public money. The article was published in the “Malawi News” edition of 17 – 23 December 2005.
Defence lawyer Lester Mwantisi made preliminary objections to the charge. Mwantisi, the BNL’s corporate lawyer, said Nkolokosa was wrongly joined in the case, arguing that, as a general manager, he did not publish the article. He added that the laws of criminal libel should be tested in the constitutional court as they were not in agreement with the current Constitution, and that there was no order from a judge to commence criminal proceedings.
However, prosecuting lawyer Chifundo Ngwira, of Lawson and Company, objected to the arguments of the defence.
In his ruling, the magistrate said his court had the jurisdiction and mandate to hear the matter. The case has since been adjourned to 7 June.
