TUKUTA MUTE IN LIBEL CASE ON DORA

By CHARLES MUSONDA LUSAKA-BASED photographer Chellah Tuku-ta has opted to remain silent in his defence in the matter he has been charged for defaming then Information minister Dora Siliya. Tukuta has told High Court Judge Lameck Mwale, who sits as Lusaka Chief Resident Mag-istrate in the case, that he will not call any wit-ness to …

TUKUTA MUTE IN LIBEL CASE ON DORA
By CHARLES MUSONDA LUSAKA-BASED photographer Chellah Tuku-ta has opted to remain silent in his defence in the matter he has been charged for defaming then Information minister Dora Siliya. Tukuta has told High Court Judge Lameck Mwale, who sits as Lusaka Chief Resident Mag-istrate in the case, that he will not call any wit-ness to defend him. Mr. Justice Mwale found Tukuta with a case to answer in April this year after establishing that a prima facie had been made out against him to warrant placing him on his defence. Pàrticulars of offence were that on May 26, 2020, Tukuta published defamatory matter af-fecting the then Petauke Central MP on his Fa-cebook page. He accused Ms. Siliya of being a prostitute and that she was hooking up girls and selling them to high profile men for sex. In her evidence-in- chief during trial, Ms. Siliya said she was injured by Tukuta’s utterances be-cause she was of impeccable character. Mr. Jus-tice Mwale has set July 2, 2021 as judgement day.