Kambwili’s guard testifies in illegal assembly trial

 By CHIKUMBI KATEBE

CHIEF security officer to former Information and Broadcasting Minister Chishimba Kambwili has testified that he was handed a copy of the police notification when Charles Kakula visited his boss’ residence in January 2023.

Kennedy Mwila, the 59-year-old driver, who works for Kambwili said Charles Kakula handed to him the police notice issued to allow them have a procession  to go and apologise to the Luanshya aspiring candidate for the insult hurled at him during the 2021 campaign period.

Mr Mwila told Magistrate Kawana Mwamfli that he was the chief security officer to Mr Kambwili and that anybody who wanted to see or have an audience with his boss had to go through him.

He explained that on that day, some junior officers manning the gate told him that there were some people at the gate asking to see Mr Kambwili, and when he went there, he found about 12-15 people there, led by Charles Kakula who handed him a police notification permitting them to assemble in the manner they did.

He explained that the group told him they had gone to the residence to apologise to Kambwili about the insults they hurled a Employer cartels violating labour laws, says Gov’t Employer cartels violating labour laws, says Gov’t Employer cartels violating CHIEF security officer to former Information and Broadcasting Minister Chishimba Kambwili has testified that he was handed a copy of the police notification when Charles Kakula visited his boss’ residence in January 2023.

Kennedy Mwila, the 59-year-old driver, who works for Kambwili said Charles Kakula handed to him the police notice issued to allow them have a procession  to go and apologise to the Luanshya aspiring candidate for the insult hurled at him during the 2021 campaign period.

Mr Mwila told Magistrate Kawana Mwamfli that he was the chief security officer to Mr Kambwili and that anybody who wanted to see or have an audience with his boss had to go through him.

He explained that on that day, some junior officers manning the gate told him that there were some people at the gate asking to see Mr Kambwili, and when he went there, he found about 12-15 people there, led by Charles Kakula who handed him a police notification permitting them to assemble in the manner they did.

He explained that the group told him they had gone to the residence to apologise to Kambwili about the insults they hurled at him leading to the 2021 general elections period.

He testified that they informed him that they came from Chilenje to apologise and that they even had a police notification for their procession to the Kambwili residence.

He told the court that on that day, he was preparing for a trip to the Copperbelt with his boss when the group came singing at the gate, and after the introductions, they came inside the yard where they continued their sings as they settled down at the visitors’ shelter waiting for Kambwili who was inside the house.

When he came out, Mr Kambwili had asked the group to stop singing  and advised them to talk to him as they had requested.

“The group left after their interaction with him, which was about 20-30 minutes. I would identify the youths who were at the gate and the document, the police notification by Kakula if I saw them again,” he said

In cross examination, Mr Mwila was asked if he was in the video footage before court, and he said no.

He was also told that Mr Kambwili did not mention two other guards at the house, and that Jumbe said he did not see him get the police notice.    

And the driver refused before court that he had not been to court during this trial that he only learnt about the court case when the police went to apprehend his boss.

Asked if he took the notice to the police, to let the police know about the notice, he said his job was to know if they have notified the police and not to take the notice to police, adding “my job is to protect my boss when he is in trouble.”

The state alleged the incident which happened at the Kambwili residence was political in nature, and that Mr Mwila allowed the group to go in and where addressed by Kambwili.

After cross examination, the defence informed the court that their last witness was not before court as he had been apprehended for conduct likely to cause breach of peace in campaigns as he was a mayoral candidate.

He said the witness was only release late on Tuesday after payment of admission of guilt as he applied for adjournment.

The court adjourned the matter to July 29, 2026 after dismissing an application to adjourn to sdates after the August 13 elections, unless it was illness or death, participating in an election was no reason to adjourn a matter.

Kambwili and political activist Kakula were jointly charged with unlawful assembly and expressing racial or tribal remarks stemming from a January 2023 incident, where Kakula led a group of youths to Kambwili’s residence. g labour laws, says Gov’t t him leading to the 2021 general elections period.

He testified that they informed him that they came from Chilenje to apologise and that they even had a police notification for their procession to the Kambwili residence.

He told the court that on that day, he was preparing for a trip to the Copperbelt with his boss when the group came singing at the gate, and after the introductions, they came inside the yard where they continued their sings as they settled down at the visitors’ shelter waiting for Kambwili who was inside the house.

When he came out, Mr Kambwili had asked the group to stop singing  and advised them to talk to him as they had requested.

“The group left after their interaction with him, which was about 20-30 minutes. I would identify the youths who were at the gate and the document, the police notification by Kakula if I saw them again,” he said

In cross examination, Mr Mwila was asked if he was in the video footage before court, and he said no.

He was also told that Mr Kambwili did not mention two other guards at the house, and that Jumbe said he did not see him get the police notice.    

And the driver refused before court that he had not been to court during this trial that he only learnt about the court case when the police went to apprehend his boss.

Asked if he took the notice to the police, to let the police know about the notice, he said his job was to know if they have notified the police and not to take the notice to police, adding “my job is to protect my boss when he is in trouble.”

The state alleged the incident which happened at the Kambwili residence was political in nature, and that Mr Mwila allowed the group to go in and where addressed by Kambwili.

After cross examination, the defence informed the court that their last witness was not before court as he had been apprehended for conduct likely to cause breach of peace in campaigns as he was a mayoral candidate.

He said the witness was only release late on Tuesday after payment of admission of guilt as he applied for adjournment.

The court adjourned the matter to July 29, 2026 after dismissing an application to adjourn to sdates after the August 13 elections, unless it was illness or death, participating in an election was no reason to adjourn a matter.

Kambwili and political activist Kakula were jointly charged with unlawful assembly and expressing racial or tribal remarks stemming from a January 2023 incident, where Kakula led a group of youths to Kambwili’s residence.