Police in Kasempa searched on KFM community radio station and later picked up three journalists for questioning.

 

Those picked up included the acting station manager Martha Musoka and two reporters Gift Kazela and Chricious Maliko.

 

Ms Musoka who is the acting station manager at the community radio confirmed the incident to ZANIS in an interview today.

 

She said the duo and herself were picked up and taken to the police station for questioning over a story the radio station had aired last week on May 15^th, 2014.

 

She said the story aired was about a named resident calling upon the community in Kasempa to assist a woman to appeal against a court conviction.

 

The woman whom identified as Fanny Mwelumuka was convicted by the Kasempa magistrate court for nine months for naming someone as a wizard.

 

Ms Musoka, however, said police deemed the story as contemptuous and raided the radio station confiscating a computer and also asked her and the two colleagues to accompany them to the police station.

 

She said police had a search warrant when they raided the station at 14.00 hours.

 

She said while at the station the trio were detained and subjected to interrogation up to 19.00 hours on the material day.

 

She said police recorded warn and caution statements, and retained the computer the following day but not charge has been laid against them as yet.

 

Below is the news item that has caused this arrest – KFM Kasempa

Nsakwa yaba Kaonde Kasempa district secretary has announced intentions to appeal against a nine months sentence slapped on a local business lady Fanny Mwelumuka popularly known as “Just Imagine.”

Enos Kalele told K FM news today that his organization was not satisfied with the sentence saying it was too excessive for a civil case hence the need to appeal against it.

Kalele further appealed to all Kaonde speaking people to unite and mobilize funds so that an appeal can be lodged in the high court before the one month allowing for appeal could elapse.

Mwelumuka was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for naming Kazadi Kaulume a Congolese national who is the proprietor of Biso na Biso enterprise of Kasempa as a wizard contrary to the laws of Zambia.