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By GRACE CHAILE
THE State has for the third time revised its charge against journalist Faith Musonda cum business woman and has now dropped the unbailable charge of espionage and formally slapped her with the minor offence of “shishita” (idle and disorderly conduct).
Musonda, 41, of Chalala’s Rock View, pleaded not guilty before Lusaka Magistrate Irene Wishimanga.
The charge, under Section 178(1) of the Penal Code, alleged that on July 1, 2025, Musonda publicly conducted herself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace, a charge widely referred to on the streets as “shishita.”
What began as a potential espionage case has since shifted direction. On July 7, 2025, police confirmed that Musonda had initially been arrested and charged with espionage, contrary to Section 3(a) of the State Security Act and criminal trespass, under Section 306 of the Penal Code.
However, by the time she appeared in court yesterday, the espionage and trespass charges had quietly disappeared, leaving only the idle and disorderly conduct count.
According to a police statement and preliminary investigations, Musonda was apprehended in the early hours of July 2, between 00:30 and 01:00 hours, after allegedly driving a Toyota Fortuner, registration number BBA 8874, toward Community House, the heavily secured private residence of President Hakainde Hichilema in New Kasama.
She is accused of attempting to gain unauthorised entry before being intercepted by police officers on duty.
Following her arrest, Musonda was detained at Woodlands Police Station, where she remained in custody until her court appearance.
Appearing composed in the courtroom, Musonda, described in court documents as a housewife, denied the charge. Her lawyers, Charles Changano and Maluza Chongola, immediately applied for bail, stressing that the charge was bailable and that Musonda was not a flight risk.
The state raised no objection, leaving the matter to the court’s discretion.
In her ruling, Magistrate Wishimanga granted bail in the sum of K100, 000 in own recognisance with two working sureties and adjourned the matter to July 21, 2025, for mention.
