Barotseland activists charged with treason

SOME of the 59 Barotseland activists who have now been charged with treason surprised the Mongu magistrate’s courts when they applied to have their citizenship changed on their details, claiming they are not Zambians.
The activists, who have no legal representation, said they belonged to another State (Barotseland).
When they appeared for mention yesterday, they told the court that they wanted their citizenship details on court records changed because they were “foreigners” from a different country.
The activists appeared in different Mongu courts for mention while waiting for instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to have them committed to the High Court where their case was triable.
Those from Mongu were 10, Senanga nine, Sesheke four while 36 were from Kalabo.
The State earlier applied to have the charge of seditious practices substituted with a charge of treason, which the courts granted.
The activists later applied to the courts to have their citizenship changed claiming they were not Zambians but belonged to another State of Barotseland.
The State objected to the application, saying the accused were appearing in court on a charge of treason and not the issue of citizenship.
The magistrates adjourned the case to September 17, this year when the accused would appear for another mention and possible committal to the High Court for trial.
The accused appeared according to their districts before different magistrates namely, Principal Resident Magistrate Bernard Mwanandiwa (36 accused from Kalabo), Resident Magistrate Chikoko Liyungu (nine from Senanga) and Magistrate Malata (14 from Mongu and Sesheke).