"I deny the charge," Mwamba told a packed courtroom, without going
into further details. If convicted, he faces a maximum of five years in
prison, a lawyer said.
Zambian opposition official denies threatening president, freed on bail(VOA News)
A leading member of Zambia's main opposition party denied threatening President Edgar Lungu with violence and was released on bail on Monday.
Geoffrey Mwamba,
vice-president of the United Party for National Development, was
arrested on charges of inciting violence against Lungu last week. Police
said he had threatened to "go for his throat".
"I deny the charge,"
Mwamba told a packed courtroom, without going into further details. If
convicted, he faces a maximum of five years in prison, a lawyer said.
Political tensions are mounting before presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Aug. 11.
Mwamba
was also arrested then released by the police last week on separate
charges of training party supporters to become an illegal militia.
President Lungu a fortnight ago accused the opposition of training party supporters to cause voilence during the elections.
Mwamba
also denied that charge and his party said the arrests of 21 of its
members on similar accusations were meant to intimidate the opposition
before presidential elections.
Both Lungu and United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema are seen as front runners.
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