SEAN DEMANDS K50M FROM LEVY NGOMA

SEAN Tembo has made a counter demand of K50 million from Levy Ngoma, the Political Advisor to the President Hakainde Hichilema who is demanding K5 million from the president of Patriots for Economic Progress ( PeP) for criminal defamation.

Mr Ngoma has reported Mr Tembo to the police for commenting on the abduction of Emmanuel Jay Banda, the Petauke Member of Parliament in which some high- ranking government officials including Trevor Mwiinde, the UPND operative have been named.

Mr Tembo has also demanded for an apology in the next 48 hours.

In a letter of demand dated June 4, 2024, addressed to Chanza Sikazwe, Mr Ngoma’s lawyer, the opposition leader said the Patriots for Economic Progress ( PeP) was a political party whose mandate included providing checks and balances to the governing party.

Mr Tembo said PeP had interest in the Jay Banda abduction case because it had the responsibility to check how Government was running the affairs of the nation, including the treatment it gave to its citizens.

He said on Monday, June 5, 2024, he learnt with dismay from media reports, that Mr Sikazwe’s client, Levy Ngoma went to report him to police for alleged criminal defamation in relation to a statement which he issued on Sunday, June 2, 2024 in which he quoted Mr Banda’s lawyer, Mr Sakwiba Sikota, State Counsel as having said that Mr Banda identified Mr Ngoma as one of the people who was involved in the abduction.

“It is our position that quoting a statement made by another person is not and cannot constitute defamation, and any elementary student of law, including yourself, should know that,” Mr Tembo said in his demand letter.