Doctor jailed for defaming Zambian leader on Facebook

A court in western Zambia’s Mongu district on Wednesday sent a medical doctor to three years in jail after convicting him of defaming President Edgar Lungu.

The doctor had created a fake Facebook account which he used to bring the name of the Zambian leader in ridicule by posting disturbing remarks, insults and digitally altering his images, Xinhua quoted police spokesperson Esther Mwaata-Katongo as saying.

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She said the doctor had used the name of another medical to create the Facebook account and went on to threaten the same doctor with murder when he complained.

The police spokesperson said the judgment was welcome as it will send a strong warning to people who were in the habit of abusing social media.