By DELPHINE ZULU –
FORMER Kasama lawmaker Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba commonly known as GBM, has been sued by two of his bodyguards for alleged defamation of character and are demanding K200,000 each and another K150,000 as exemplary damages for torture.
Levy Simukoko and Mike Sitali in their Statement of claim filed in the High Court yesterday, stated that they were locked up for five days from November 11 to 17, this year, on allegations that they had stolen US$4,000.
They contended that when they were released from Kabulonga Police Station they went to the defendant’s working place with a view to reconcile and were informed that a suspect had been arrested by the police.
They said Mr Mwamba apologised to the duo, but was failing to meet their claims hence their reason to drag him to court.
The plaintiffs were now claiming for special damages for defamation of character, after being accused of stealing Mr Mwamba’s money and that the words in their natural meaning showed that they were persons of bad character and could not be trusted by any well meaning person in society.
“We are also demanding exemplary damages for the anguish, pain, and torture that we suffered for the five days that were spent  in the police cells,” they stated.
Meanwhile, senior Principal Magistrate Lameck Mwale has convicted Mr Mwamba’s office assistant Joseph Mumba, 21, for stealing his US$4,000.
Mumba pleaded guilty to the charge of theft by servant when the matter came up for plea.