Muvi Television General Manager, Costa Mwansa, testified in a case in which Human RightsActivist, Paul Kasokomona has been charged with idle and disorderly conduct.
Mr. Mwansa who is also presenter of Muvi Television’s Assignment programme on which Kasonkomona featured, appeared before Lusaka Resident Magistrate, Lameck Ng’ambi.
He explained that the role of the TV station is to provide a platform for the public to discuss issues of national interest.
He told the court that human rights activist Paul Kasokomona advocated for the recognition of rights for minority people including those on gay rights in the Constitution.
This is in a matter in which Endangered human rights for Zambia project coordinator Paul Kasokomona is charged with idle and disorderly conduct when he appeared on Muvi television programme on April 7, 2013.
It is alleged that Kasonkomona 38 , of Chululu Garden Township on April 7,2013 at Lusaka being a person in a public place namely, Muvi TV studios on a programme called “The Assignment” did solicit for moral purposes for homosexuality rights to be respected in Zambia.
Mr.Mwansa said that Kasokomona came in as an activist on both health and social rights.
” He was in a way making submissions or appeal to consider recognition of rights of minority people within the Constitution”
” These are rights of gay people, rights of transgendered among others” Mr Mwansa said
The court for the third time viewed and listened to more than an hour of recording featuring Kasokomona.
Among the things that Kasokomona highlighted was for the Zambian law not to advocate gay marriage but stated that there was nothing wrong with someone who is homosexual because homosexuals were born like that.
Kasokomona who insisted that whether we like it or not homosexuality was happening in Zambia said ” when I sleep with someone who is gay, I am not taking anything away from someone”.
He had said in the recording that gay people should not be discriminated upon but should be helped with provisions of suitable
condoms which could help in combating HIV and AIDS.
Mr Mwansa however said during cross examination that Kasokomona was expressing his own opinion in the programme while Muvi was on the other hand, promoting freedom of expression as per its mandate.
Trial continues.
