Post Newspaper Proprietor Fred M’membe and his reporter Mukosha Funga have been granted 30 thousand Kwacha bail each, with two working sureties.
Lusaka Magistrate Humprey Chitalu has granted Mr. M’membe and Ms Funga bail on grounds that the offence of Publication of Classified Information, with which the two are charged, is bailable.
Magistrate Chitalu ruled that the State’s Objection to Mr M’membe and Ms Funga’s bail application is misconceived.
He also ordered the two to appear for mention on August, 19,2015.
Trial of Mr. M’membe and Ms Funga is ear-marked for the High Court as the Magistrate Court does not have Jurisdiction to try the offence of Publication of Classified Information.
Mr. M’membe and Funga were arrested and charged with Publication of Classified Information.
This was on account of article that appeared in the Post Newspaper on April 17,2015.
The article alleged that Anti-Corruption Commission-ACC- Director General had written to President Edgar Lungu that his Special Assistant for Political Affairs Kaizer Zulu was being investigated.
The article in question also alleged that Mr. Zulu solicited ONE million United States Dollars from Chinese contractors to secure them an appointment with President Lungu .