FORMER Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs Kaizer Zulu yesterday appeared before the Lusaka High Court in a case two soldiers have accused him of issuing contemptuous remarks. In the main case, Mr Zulu sued two soldiers, Steven Phiri and Steven Chiiba Chooka, on allegations that they conspired to kill him.

It is alleged that between July 30 and August 8, 2017, Phiri and Chooka conspired to kill Mr Zulu. But the accused persons later asked the Lusaka High Court to cite Mr Zulu for contempt after he allegedly commented on the active court case when he featured on a Diamond Television programme tilted ‘COSTA’. Phiri and Chooka said Mr Zulu was quoted saying: “There are the two military officers who the police actually arrested.

They actually drove to my house. “They had two targets, myself and former president Rupiah Banda. Was it necessary for me to fire with these trained marksmen or to let me die?” Phiri and Chooka contended that the words uttered by Mr Zulu were aimed at portraying them as being guilty of a crime in the eyes of the general public.

The military officers submitted that the serious allegations made by Mr Zulu that the accused drove to his place and made an attempt on his life, prompting him to shoot in self-defence, were not only subjudice but also prejudicial against them. When the contempt case came up yesterday before Judge Mwamba Chanda, Mr Zulu could not answer to the allegations after his lawyers asked for time to study the matter.

Later, Mr Zulu’s lawyers, Dickson Jere and Sakwiba Sikota and other attorneys met in chambers. The case was adjourned to March 31 this year, after Mr Zulu’s lawyers asked for more time to study the case since the summons were only served on their client on Monday this week.