(MISA/IFEX) – On 1 June 1998, Zambian Attorney General, Bonaventure Mutale, told the Lusaka High Court that the state had no intention of proceeding with contempt of court proceedings against the “Post” newspaper. Mutale was addressing the court during a preliminary point in the treason trial stemming from the October 1997 attempted coup. **Updates IFEX […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 1 June 1998, Zambian Attorney General, Bonaventure Mutale,
told the Lusaka High Court that the state had no intention of proceeding
with contempt of
court proceedings against the “Post” newspaper. Mutale was addressing the
court during a preliminary point in the treason trial stemming from the
October 1997 attempted coup.
**Updates IFEX alert of 27 May 1998**
The question of possible contempt proceedings against the “Post” arose after
the state, on 19 May 1998, obtained an injunction restraining the newspaper
from publishing statements of witnesses or documents related to the treason
trial. Mutale said it was possible the “Post” had published the list of
state witnesses who were going to testify in the case “unknowingly and in
good faith,” but this had made them [the witnesses]
fear for their safety. He also expressed concern about the publication of
witness’ statements before they were adduced as evidence in court and in
this regard, he asked the Judge, Japhet Banda, to restrain the media from
publishing statements that would be prejudicial to the case.
