Zambian arrested for insulting President using fake Facebook account

Zambian police have arrested a 35-year-old student on charges of insulting President Edgar Lungu and other government officials on social media platform, Facebook.

Police spokesperson, Esther Mwata Katongo, confirmed the arrest of Edward Makayi, a university student who is said to have created fake Facebook accounts which he used to abuse the president.

Katongo added that the accused had also resorted to defaming some government ministers and members of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF). He is also said to have targeted the presidential press aide and the country’s police chief.

Makayi according to local media reports is studying engineering at a privately-owned university. He is to remain in police custody till he appears before a court on Thursday.

In April this year, an opposition chief in the country was also arrested over posts he made on Facebook.

Chilufya Tayali, leader of the Economic and Equity Party (EEP), was arrested for his post which weighed in on the treason case against main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema. Hichilema was arrested for obstructing the motorcade of President Edgar Lungu.

Tayali’s post called out the Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja for “covering his ineficiency” by charging Hichilema with treason.

“Kanganja is just covering his inefficiency to charge HH with Treason, otherwise he should be an accomplice, where was his police to clear the way long before. That should have never happened, but maybe Kanganja planned it that way to kill the President or frame HH,” the Facebook post read.