Zambian police on Wednesday summoned a newspaper editor for questioning on falsehoods about President Levy Mwanawasa published in his newspaper, a police source said on Wednesday.
Police spokesperson Brenda Muntemba confirmed that Masautso Phiri, editor of the Today newspaper, had been summoned for ”interviews” with the police, but declined to give details.
But a source in the police force said Phiri was likely to face arrest for allegedly ”publishing false news with an intention to alarm the nation”.
Recently Today published two controversial stories about Mwanawasa. One story headlined Sick Levy collapses, claimed that the head of state was ill and had collapsed at his Lusaka home.
Another story claimed Mwanawasa had separated from his wife after she had an affair with a presidential aide.
The editor’s lawyer, Sakwiba Sikota said the police summons was vague but he suspected his client was wanted in connection with the publication of the controversial stories.
Phiri has been arrested several times before.
He once served a three-month jail sentence for contempt of court after he published a story alleging that Supreme Court judges had received bribes from former president Frederick Chiluba. – Sapa-AFP