Socialist Party leader Fred M’membe allegedly discharged a live firearm at a UPND member, injuring his ear and the side of his head, a court has heard.
In the continuing trial of M’membe and his co-accused in Kabwe, the alleged victim, 24-year-old UPND supporter Emmanuel Simposya, recounted to Justice Ruth Hachitapika Chibbabbuka that without provocation, M’membe fired two gunshots in the air before allegedly aiming directly at Simposya. The purported shot inflicted grazing wounds to his ear and side of the head. He claimed that the injury continues to affect him to date.
According to Simposya’s account, M’membe had blocked the path that he and the other people in the vehicle he was in were to use to deliver food supplies to a UPND camp during the Muchinda Ward Council by-election campaign on 8 April 2023. This prompted the victim to alight from the vehicle to try to negotiate with the person blocking the path to clear it. The individual obstructing the path happened to be M’membe, alleges Simposya, who proceeded to shoot twice in the air before walking towards him and aiming the third shot at him.
Simposya alleged that other members of M’membe’s traveling party, including his security officer and co-accused Daniel Mumba proceeded to assault him in different ways. He alleges that Mumba used a taser on his back, causing him to fall to the ground and lose consciousness while the candidate in the same by-election held his head between his thighs as M’membe stepped on his feet before beating him up together with Mumba. He alleges that Mumba also stabbed his hand before a horde of Socialist Party officials joined the fray to assault him as he lay on the ground.
The prosecution’s other witness, Haggai Kwenda, who was in the same vehicle with Simposya corroborated the latter’s account, adding that he too was assaulted by M’membe and Mumba in his attempt to rescue Simposya.
M’membe is charged with three offenses—assault intended to cause grievous harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Simposya, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Haggai Kwenda.
Trial continues.
