Kabwe based Journalist Wilson Pondamali is receiving treatment at Kabwe General Hospital after collapsing late Monday in a police cell.
His condition is said to be stable.
Police in Kabwe have since charged Pondamali with a fresh offence of damage to government property and attempted escape from police custody.
The new charges comes after Pondamali was given police bond yesterday for the offence of possession of military stores after police allegedly found a pamphlet containing military information after a search at his house.
[pullquote]Mr. Kabesha described the new charges as trumped up and aimed at intimidating his client[/pullquote]
His lawyer Mulilo Kabesha from Mulilo Kabesha & Company confirmed that Pondamali is admitted in Kabwe General Hospital after he collapsed yesterday.
“The doctors are treating him for suspected pneumonia. What had happened was that he was detained on fresh allegations that he wanted to escape and in the process damaged the door to a police car. So they detained him in police cells and he later collapsed,” Mr. Kabesha said.
He added, “My client got disturbed by the failure to release him on the first charge even after he was granted bail and he in the process struggled with some officers as he was being taken to Mpima Remand Prison.
Mr. Kabesha described the new charges as trumped up and aimed at intimidating his client.
“Even on the first charge, it is so despicable that police detained him all that long when the offence is a simple one. He can only be fined about K544 and released. The Police should have released him on police bond but decided to lock him up for almost a week.”
Wilson Pondamali, 40, who took plea before magistrate Simpungwe, is in the first count alleged to be in unlawful possession of military books contrary to section 181(1)(5) of the Defence Act Chapter 106 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that Pondamali on July 17, 2013 did have in his possession one copy of a restricted Zambia Defence Service Intelligence book and one restricted tactics book used for military purposes.
In the second count it is alleged that the accused did steal a book entitled Freedom of the Mind valued at K140 a property of Kabwe Municipal Council (KMC).
The count granted Pondamali a K10, 000 bail in his own recognisance and two working sureties from reputable organisations.
This was after lawyer representing him Collins Chizawu from Kabesha and company applied for bail saying the charges were bailable and that his client was ready to abide by the court’s conditions.
Mr. Kabesha revealed that Pondamali will appear in court for mention on the first charge on August 1 and 15 2013.
Trial will commence on August 21 2013.
What the F….is going on? The police are not protecting citizens.Why torture a journalist over a book? what right did they have to keep him in jail that long? where are the human rights activists,where are the pastors,where is MISA,where is LAZ,where are our leaders.What is going on in Zambia? Are we going to let PF keep on intimidating us through the Police? This is not what Zambians wanted when we voted PF.This is worse than 20 years of MMD!!!NOOOOOOO this shouldn’t be happening.
The laws must be respected man and it does not matter who you are if you go aginst the law you will be visited.There is an american man marooned in Russia now for doing something against the the USA law.They want him in the USA to go and answer charges there.During the MMD era most laws were broken with inpunity because nobody cared.Being in possesion of military material when you are just a civilian is a an offence.Only soldiers are allowed to have certain information about the army and they are also monitored.The question is where and how did a journalist obtain military material and for what purpose did he get them?National security is compromised if anybody can lay their hands on military material.This could be classified information!!
#1.1, You’re right. People should not just support nonsense for the sake of it. What was this journalist doing with such material? It doesn’t matter whether he’s linked to the watchdog or not, “chimo ni chimo’! of what use, was this material to this guy?
1.1 and 1.2 the fact remains the courts granted him bail.Why did the police refuse to obey the courts? No one is above the law- at least we thought that was the case in Zambia.First they disobey court orders in relation to the former president ,now its ordinary citizens.Those new charges were slapped AFTER the journalist decided it was his right to go home since the courts said so.In the scuffle that ensued they then slapped him with more silly charges.Its not the job of the police to blindly follow politicians.Politicians come and go like underwear but the law enforcement officers remain.
What was he doing with such materials? We have seen and read of citizens ‘selling’ their country. He should explain where he got the documents.
You reap what you sour. The ZWD were expecting to harvest Love when they preached hetred and death. No one at ZWD has died yet. More surcrifices are coming your way. Let see if HH is going to protect these unprofessional pipo.
Bwana kci, you should be embarrassed with your English. Sow not sour, hatred not hetred, sacrifices not surcrifices (all this in just five sentences). And don’t claim its not your first language because most of us learnt English at the same government schools.
@Mfumu how do you know what I am talking about? It is a blog and not an english test. The spelling is meant for the filters not to catch me and put me in “you comment is waiting moderator sht.
@kci, exactly my point! I dont know what you are talking about because of your choice of non standard words. Filters, what filters are you talking about? A filter to filter sour, hetred or surcifices? Filters work on vulgar or inappropriate words but not what you used. Note I didn’t comment on pipo because that can be used on a blog. To effectively communicate ideas or thoughts we use language and this has rules. To not follow these rules, makes it hard for the target audience to get your trend of thought. Just my observation. At least we can exchange views in a civil way. However, you are free to do what you feel is easy for you.
@MFUMU sorry sir. I did not realize we had a elementary school around.
THIS I.DIOT #2.2 kci, IS JUST BUSY BEING PAID TO DEFEND THE UNDEFENDED.
U want or u don’t want Sata will die a very violent death.
Very very predictable now.
Zambian soldiers are have now joined Zambians in hating Sata. Its a matter of time.
‘………….because most of us learnt English at the same government schools,,’ it should be ‘ because most of us learnt English in the same government schools.’
The Fear of the Govment is the beginning of ……………………………………..
No need to fear a democratically elected government as it is a government for the people, by the people. people cant enter state house through the ballot and expect to rule by the gun
Jack Mwiimbu will represent him. HH will bear all costs. Meanwhile, Commonwealth hear we come again though you are slow to act. We want you to sanction Zambia. Pondamali don’t worry. Come 2016 you will be Minister of information
In your dreams Hatembo!! 2016 is too soon, perhaps 2035.
Ba Hatembo, the commonwealth supports law breakers who are in possession of military classified material illegally? Think again. Pondamali needs a good lawyer, not this “commonwealth” childish “cry-baby” mentality you re exhibiting.
Bwana, how dare would you be praying for Zambia to be sanctioned? are you sure you love this country or you interest is to put a President of your Individual Choice in State house. The fall of Zambia might not affect Sata for he has money, it may affect us the common men. In Zimbabwe Mugabe is not suffering at all, his people are
In your dreams!
Am disappointed with the way Xavier Chungu is behaving because am one of the few Zambians who sympathised with his stateless citizenship. Why again he has dragged himself in Sata’s dirty illiteracy i.diocy?
Chungu is too good & too smart to get involved with an illiterate & evil person like Sata. Sata & all his evil PF leaders are destined for a disastrous & evil end
Fred Mmembe is the only person who destroyed Chungu’s name because he hated Chiluba
Xavier Chungu should be honest & tell Sata that Zambians have now reached the 1990’s boiling point, any time people including Zambian soldiers & Intelligence officers will join Zambian masses
Instead of Sata getting worried with Chief Jumbe’s complaint he intimidated the chief.
This is how bad all Zambians hate Sata!
@SHAKA OZ Which Zambians are you representing?
My friend Chungu is equally illiterate, having a flair for stealing and evading Law Enforcement Officers is not same as being educated.
U PF kaponyas just wait & see what will follow u soon! It may not come tomorrow but surely as Kaunda said before 1997, a huge Earth Quake is coming towards u evil illiterates with low IQs!
U are the only ones eating from stealing our money u hyenas with your feces on your anus. U chimpanzees i.diot!
Am sure even Xavier Chungu now does not support you PF criminals.
@kapala & @kci. Mfula media of PF i.diocy & minister’s in PF instead of concentrating on spearheading developments u are just busy defending yourselves on computers/internet!
You KABWAS! BANZOLO!
Shaka @#$%, Speak for yourself.
Which people have reached ‘boiling’ point?
Sata should have thanked Chief Jumbe because he was brave to let his feelings be known
Unfortunately sata in 1990 did not let UNIP dictator Kenneth Kaunda know his feelings
There are a lot of PF ministers including soldiers who are now disagreeing with Sata’s chaotic & satanic type of leadership but they are keeping their feelings low
Sata should have just seen how he cannot even go to his evil satanic prayer’s on Sundays because he knows that he can be stoned
Torturing journalist won’t help Sata but will harden them & teach them to come up with more sophisticated ways of reporting & make other Zambians including intelligence & soldiers to sympathise with journalists
Very soon ANONYMOUS HACKERS WILL START HACKING INTO PF GOVT websites because of Journalists tortures
SHAKA yout thinking is wrapped!!How do you define torture?Do realy know what you are talking about?Please try to be objective when posting comments because some comments are fool of bitterness and unrealistic reasoning!!It seems people like you would not care if Zambia went up in flames because of lies and falsewood fro ZWD.The jourlists from ZWD asked for it.If you want to insult elders do it in the dark otherwise you will face the consequences!!You SHAKA if you have the guts publish your true identity and see how people are going to mutilate your character!!
SHAKA OZ. I have two things to say to you:
‘Fools and madmen ought not be left in their own company’ and ‘who preaches war is the devils chaplain’.
Kci you should be ashamed of yourself these acts are being condemned everywhere
Nobody wants any return of hitlerism, power is not their to abuse your own citizens
Instead of protecting them, I expect Sata to respect ordinary people nothing good comes
From mistreating people
In the same vain, people should respect Sata as their current head of state and respectfully vote him out in 2016 if they are not happy with him than making fools of themselves. This guy nearly ran away from the police and nearly became a fugitive leaving his family? 2016 is less than 3 years fro now.
patiently waiting for thursday if its true PF is nolonger a factor
why is the government wasting time with this al-shabaab/boko haram/al-queda/banyamurenge terrorists?
@SHAKA OZ u don’t debate like one with a high lQ .Then there is another fool threatening pf.fo ol! l have no symphathy for ZWD . I WISH THESE DOGS CAN BE GIVEN A HEAVY PUNCH .U SOW HATE U REAP HATE IN FULL. IT IS THE BEGINNING.
Actually pf treated u with kids groves despite the evil upnd and mmd did to her. They were peaceful but u took advantage of them by provoking them day in day out. Can de game intensify please we c who come 2 deir rescue. Maybe u will learn to behave
Awe sure naine I am surprised that after what uncle xavior chungu went thru he can surely dine and wine with the likes of mutembo, member and ba sata? Uncle chungu ‘akabwelela numa kalalya’, elo kalulu tapusuka mipini ibili. You lost aunt daisy and u almost lost ur life. Fumeni mu ndonti look to god for salvation.
so the untouchable watchdog has finally been touched!!!!!!
Sata will make us like Rwanda and Burundi, he is copying a lot from how they run their countries. Arresting of scribes and lwalessness is now the order by these PF cadres.
Where did we go wrong?
Mr. T,
So if a journalist commits a crime, they should not be arrested? What type of country would that be? Is that not lawlessness? Let us instead fight for the implementation of the rule of law in the country and not fight for simple battles of journalist found with military documents.
I’m hoping that it isn’t true this journalist is chained to a bed and injected with 20 pneumonia injections while tied to a bed.
So a journalist is above the law?@shaka oz ,u must be one of these corrupt and tribalist we have in this country. Yo debate sounds like one from a lunatic.lt is u that will die a violent death. It is this kind of behavior annoying pf cadres.
come 2016 u’ll see S**a