Bail or Behind Bars? Munir Zulu’s Legal Battle Continues

By balancehub | April 17, 2025

The political drama surrounding former Lumezi Member of Parliament, Munir Zulu, took another twist this week as he seeks bail pending appeal against his one-year prison sentence for criminal libel.

On April 7, 2025, Lusaka Chief Resident Magistrate Davies Chibwili handed Zulu a one-year simple imprisonment after finding him guilty of libel in three counts. The case stemmed from Zulu’s bold allegations during a press briefing, where he claimed that Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane and Infrastructure Minister Charles Milupi each received US$250,000 in bribes, while Road Development Agency (RDA) board chairperson Mulchand Kuntawala allegedly gave a US$150,000 bribe to Mr. Milupi.

While many saw Zulu’s statements as political bravado, the court saw them as defamatory and criminal in nature.

Unwilling to accept the judgment, Zulu has taken his case to the High Court, arguing that the magistrate overstepped by ruling on what he calls a constitutional matter. Through his legal team—comprising Joseph Chirwa, Maluza Chongola, and Boniface Chiwala—Zulu has applied for bail, stating that the appeal has a strong chance of success and that the offence he was convicted for is a misdemeanor, not a felony.

His lawyers further argue that denying bail could lead to Zulu serving a significant portion of his sentence before the appeal is heard, considering how long appeals often take.

However, the State, represented by Mr. Choongo, strongly opposed the bail application, maintaining that the magistrate's judgment was sound and that the appeal stands no real chance of success.

In a fiery courtroom exchange, Mr. Chongola countered by stating that dismissing the appeal as hopeless at this stage would amount to pre-judging the case before the High Court has a say.

The court is expected to deliver its ruling on the bail application on Tuesday next week. Until then, Munir Zulu remains behind bars, awaiting a decision that could either set him free—or keep him locked away.

What are your thoughts? Should Munir Zulu be granted bail pending appeal, or should the judgment stand firm?

Let us know in the comments—and don’t forget to like and share this post if you found it informative!

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