Court Rules Man Has Case to Answer for Impersonating Former Minister on Facebook

Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has determined that a 27-year-old man must defend himself against charges of impersonating a former government minister on social media.

Simon Mwalubulo appeared before the Lusaka Magistrates' Court facing identity-related offences for allegedly creating a fake Facebook account pretending to be Garry Nkombo, the former Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

Court documents reveal that between 1st September and 31st October 2024, Mr Mwalubulo is accused of establishing a fraudulent Facebook profile using Mr Nkombo's personal identifiers without lawful justification.

The prosecution alleges that the defendant knowingly misrepresented himself as the former minister during this two-month period, potentially misleading members of the public who may have believed they were interacting with the genuine government official.

Senior Resident Magistrate Sylvia Munyinya presided over the case and ruled that sufficient evidence had been presented to establish a prima facie case against the accused.

The magistrate has since adjourned the matter to allow for the commencement of the defence phase, where Mr Mwalubulo will have the opportunity to present his case.

This case highlights the increasing challenges posed by social media impersonation, particularly involving public figures and government officials. Such incidents can undermine public trust and potentially spread misinformation.

Mr Mwalubulo now faces the task of defending himself against the charges when the case resumes. The court's decision to find him with a case to answer indicates that the prosecution has met the threshold for the matter to proceed to full trial.

The case is expected to continue when the defence phase begins, with the court yet to announce the next hearing date.