Privately-owned Television Station, Prime TV has found itself in hot legal soup that was distastefully boiled by the lies of Professor Nkandu Luo, a high-ranking PF official.
On Tuesday evening, the television station featured Prof Luo, who was a running mate to late former president Edgar Lungu in the 2021 presidential elections.
In the interview, Prof Luo claimed Dalitso, the son of her late Boss, had called her crying that he had been summoned by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) for interrogations.
Luo said it took extreme heartlessness for the government to summon someone who had just lost their father. Before long the clip of of Prof Luo’s interview went viral and sympathies started to pour in on social media until Dalitso himself said the former minister or education was lying.
Through his lawyer, Dalitso dismissed Prof Luo’s claim as a malicious and reckless falsehood urged the media to verify information before publication. Ironically, Prof Luo called for the country to engage in honest conversation during the same interview.
Dalitso also urged people not to concert lies about him but did not end there. He has demanded an apology from Prime TV and K5 million pocket change. Through a letter delivered by his lawyers at Malisa & Partners, Dalitso has denied ever being summoned, contacted, or interrogated by DEC since the death of his father on June 5.
He has described Prof Luo’s claims as “false, reckless and malicious,” adding that the broadcast worsened his emotional distress during a period of personal grief.
“Our client reiterates that on the material day, he was never summoned, interrogated or even contacted by the Drug Enforcement Commission on any matter whatsoever,” reads part of the demand letter addressed to Prime TV.
The lawyers say the TV station’s failure to fact check before airing the claim has not only exposed Dalitso to unnecessary public scrutiny, but also inflicted reputational harm, embarrassment and mental anguish.
They have since demanded a full, unreserved retraction of the statement, a written and televised apology and a payment of K5 million as compensation for damages and legal costs. The TV station has been given 48 hours to comply, or face legal action.
This is not the first time false claims have been made about the Lungu children since the former president’s death. Earlier this week, PF officials claimed that Daliso and his sister Chiyeso failed to attend their father’s memorial in South Africa because the government had refused to release their passports, a statement the siblings quickly refuted.
The lawyers clarified that at no point had they even applied for travel documents, calling the claims fabricated. As the nation continues to mourn Zambia’s sixth Republican President, who served from 2015 to 2021, the family has appealed for space, respect, and truth during the difficult time.