Journalist Petty Chanda was investigated for leaking government audio
Leaked audio clips of a conversation allegedly between Levy Ngoma, the political advisor to President Hakainde Hichilema, and Joseph Akafumba, the permanent secretary for home affairs, were aired on January 18 by privately owned Kenmark Broadcasting Network (KBN TV) in Zambia. The two men were heard discussing banning the opposition Democratic Party from participating in a local by-election.
Petty Chanda
According to a news report, two days later, television station manager Petty Chanda was summoned and interrogated for over three hours at a police station in Lusaka's capital.
Rae Hamoonga, a spokeswoman for the police, confirmed to CPJ via messaging app that Chanda's summons and investigation were about the leaked audio.
According to Joseph Chirwa, a lawyer and executive director of the Institute of Law, Policy Research and Human Rights, the police investigated Chanda under the controversial Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act.
In violation of Section 31(3) of the cyber security act, a person can be fined up to 1 million penalty units, or 300,000 kwacha (US$16,500), imprisoned for ten years, or both.
Cornelius Mweetwa, the party's spokesperson during the 2021 presidential election campaign, said Hichilema would repeal the controversial law once he took office. However, he did not do so, and on January 20, 2022–the same day Chanda appeared for questioning–chief government spokesperson Chushi Kasanda tweeted and released a formal statement to defend the use of the cyber security act against KBN TV.
Kasanda described KBN TV's publication of the leaked recording without verifying its authenticity with officials as "unprofessional."
Chanda appeared before police again on January 24, where she was informed that she was under investigation for destroying evidence because she could not produce the audio.
Chanda faces up to two years in jail, an undefined fine, or both if convicted under Section 111 of the penal code, which makes it an offense to destroy evidence.
*This article contains information sourced from CPJ.
