Maravi

MUVI TV seeks prosecution of MMD cadres

MUVI TV seeks prosecution of MMD cadres
By Bright Mukwasa and Agness Changala
Wed 20 July 2011, 13:59 CAT

MUVI television is demanding the prosecution of MMD cadres who beat up and grabbed equipment from its crew on Monday. And police in Lusaka have arrested 46 people in connection with the attacks on the journalists.

MUVI television director of administration Alfred Tembo said the station wanted an apology from the MMD for the unacceptable conduct of its cadres. Tembo’s remarks come in the wake of attacks by the MMD cadres on MUVI television staff in Lusaka West on Monday.

“The appeal to the President is that these people ought to be arrested. We have to see this brought to its logical conclusion, where the perpetrators, these thugs, should be arrested,” Tembo said.

“We are going to lodge in a formal complaint to his Excellency and also the Minister of Information and the MMD because it is unacceptable.”

Tembo said the media would not be intimidated from conducting its work objectively and something ought to be done to arrest the barbaric conduct of cadres from political parties.

“We need an apology. They have taken our camera which is very expensive and we hope that tomorrow they will not be accusing us of being biased if we do not have equipment to go and use for their rallies,” he said.

Tembo explained that the reporters had gone to Lusaka West to pursue a story where MMD cadres allegedly encroached on a farmer’s land when they met their fate.

“They found that's what's happening. They were descended upon by more than hundred thugs who beat them up and wanted to rape, tore the clothes of women - our two lady journalists. Then they beat up the driver and threw a stone at him and hit him with a rock. The other, they pushed him into a ditch and then they started beating him,” Tembo said.

Among the television equipment confiscated by the MMD cadres were an XD-CAM camera, tripod stand, microphone, four mobile phones and undisclosed amounts of money.

According to MUVI TV, during the fracas, MMD Lusaka Province youth vice-chairman, Watson Mtonga physically identified the MMD cadres.

And in a press release yesterday, Police spokesperson Ndandula Siamana said among those arrested were 26 women.

She said the suspects would be charged with offences of criminal trespass and obtaining money by false pretences, while the two identified suspected MMD cadres would be charged with assault.

“The two have since been identified as Moses Changala aged 22 of John Laing and Benjamin Mukadi aged 30 of Lusaka’s Garden House Compound,” she said.

Siamana said police would not take kindly or hesitate to arrest all those found wanting and ensure that the law takes its course.

Labels: CADRES, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE

posted by MrK @ 10:14 PM