14/07/2025
TWO CHIPATA WOMEN JAILED FOR INSULTING PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA IN TIK TOK VIDEOS
By Samuel Khwawe
Two women of Luangeni Constituency in Chipata City, Eastern Province have been jailed for producing and posting humiliating and harassing videos targeting President Hakainde Hichilema on TikTok accusing him of killing Former President Edgar Lungu.
Catherine Mphanza faces two counts, while Mary Lungu faces one count of Prohibition of Harassment or Humiliation under Sections 22(1)(a) and 3 of the Cyber Crimes Act No. 4 of 2025.
When the duo appeared before Chipata Magistrate Destiny Kalusopa, the admitted the charge.
In mitigation the convicts regretted insulting the President and said they were drunk and did not know what they were doing.
In sentencing, Magistrate Kalusopa said the offence the duo are charged with has an option of a fine of a K80,000 but the Court was not going to exercise the option of a fine because Catharine Mphanza made two video of insulting the head of State while Mary Lungu made one video but the insults were aggravating.
Magistrate Kalusopa said in order to deter would be offenders and give integrity and dignity to the office of the Precedent and also those who hold the office he was giving the duo custodial sentence.
He sentenced Catharine Mphanza to 18 months simple imprisonment for each count which will run consecutively while Mary Lungu was sentenced to 24 months simple imprisonment.
The sentences for the two convicts are effective from June 24,2025 when they were arrested by the police .
The incident occurred on June 20, 2025, when the accused allegedly recorded and shared three videos insulting the President. In one video, Mphanza used derogatory language, accusing the President of wrong doing and vowing not to vote for him in the 2026 elections.
In another clip, Catherine Lungu allegedly mocked the President’s physical appearance and accused him of killing former President Edgar Lungu.
Diamond TV
