. Bishop Chomba

By DELPHINE ZULU –
LUSAKA High Court Judge Mwila Chitabo has stated that the injunction he granted restraining former Orthodox Church Bishop Edward Chomba and others from publishing any further articles injurious to UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is still in force.
Mr Justice Chitabo has also directed defendants to submit their defence and counter claims if any by January 19.
Mr Hichilema has sued Patriotic Front (PF) president Edgar Lungu, PF secretary general Davies Chama and Bishop Chomba for defamation of character.
Justice Chitabo further in his orders of directions, directed that the plaintiff should file his reply to counter claim by January 29, and defendants reply by February 9 this year while the exchange of documents should be concluded by February 24, 2015.
The matter has been adjourned to January 29 this year for hearing of a misjoinder.
Mr Lungu and Mr Chama have asked the court to remove them as defendants from the proceedings in which Mr Hichilema has sued them for defamation of character.
The two said the words in question were uttered by Bishop Chomba, who was not a PF agent at a PF rally recently held in Kabwe.
According to the affidavit in support of summons for misjoinder sworn by Mr Chama, every person is personally liable or responsible for the words they speak.
Mr Chama said that Mr Hichilema had sued him and Mr Lungu merely because they shared the same podium with Bishop Chomba.
He said he was advised that a political party could not defame any person, not even Mr Hichilema, and his decision to sue him in his official capacity was an attempt to create academic proceedings.