Sean Tembo’s Insulting-Language Case Against Zambia’s President Is Dropped

A court case against Zambian politician Sean Tembo has come to an end after the Director of Public Prosecutions discontinued the proceedings, according to the report. Tembo had faced two counts of using insulting language against President Hakainde Hichilema, under Section 179 of Zambia’s Penal Code. The DPP entered a nolle prosequi, ending the case for now. The court made clear that this did not amount to an acquittal, however, and Tembo could be brought back before the court at a later date. The decision therefore closes the current proceedings without resolving the allegations through a trial. One of the charges concerned comments Tembo was alleged to have made in Lusaka on August 27, 2023. The report says the remarks referred to Hichilema and included criticism of the president in the run-up to the 2026 election. The article’s accessible portion does not provide the full details of the second count. Tembo had been accused, not convicted, in the matter. With the prosecution discontinued, the immediate court process is over, while the possibility of future proceedings remains open, as the court noted. The report does not state why the DPP chose to discontinue the case.