Mother accused of pimping daughters says court orderlies made her smuggle drugs into prison
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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
'It's coming home' - the undignified row over the body of Zambia's ex-president
"It's coming home!" – a phrase indelibly linked to English football fans – has now gained currency among some Zambians in the battle over what to do with the body of former President Edgar Lungu. The 68-year-old died two months ago in South Africa where he was being treated for an undisclosed illness. In the latest episode of what is now a full-blown saga, a Pretoria court ruled in the Zambian government's favour, saying that in the public interest, Lungu's remains can be repatriated and given a state funeral, against the wishes of the family. The decision triggered celebrations among some governing party supporters, who shared Facebook posts with the phrase: "It's coming home," as if Zambia had won a trophy. An undignified response, perhaps, but it has come to symbolise how divisive and partisan this has become. For some, who are fed up with the row, the sorrow and grief that came with Lungu's passing have faded into feelings of fatigue. But despite a host of more pressing economic problems, public discussions continue to be dominated by the fallout from the death of the former president, who led the country for six years from 2015. The seeds of the controversy were sown in the feud between Lungu and his successor – the man who soundly beat him in the 2021 election – Hakainde Hichilema. But it has now spiralled into a row laced with wild accusations of witchcraft. When the judge in South Africa made his ruling last week, the ensuing anger from Lungu's older sister was telling. Bertha Lungu burst into a fit of rage, crying uncontrollably as she hurled unsavoury words at Zambia's Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha, who was also present in court. "Kabesha, Lungu is not your father's son… he's not Hakainde's son… This is really painful. I don't want to go to Zambia," she cried as people, including her niece, Tasila Lungu, struggled to comfort her and cover her mouth. The body has not yet been repatriated to Zambia because the Lungu family is appealing against the South African judge's decision – a case that is due to be heard on Friday. This was all supposed to have been settled in June, when the family initially agreed that there could be a state funeral in Zambia. But the plans were scuppered over a dispute about what role President Hichilema would play. Lungu's family said one of his dying wishes was that Hichilema should not go anywhere near his body. The key to understanding the animosity was the more than 100 days that Hichilema, opposition leader at the time, spent in detention in 2017, awaiting trial on treason charges. He was accused of endangering the life of then-President Lungu after his motorcade allegedly refused to give way to the one transporting the head of state. The charges were only dropped after the intervention of the secretary general of the Commonwealth. This was one of several times that Hichilema was arrested while he was in the opposition. In turn, the Lungus have alleged persecution under Hichilema. Tasila and the former president's widow, Esther, continue to face corruptions charges, which they deny. Lungu's family have vowed that they are prepared to wait for the court process as long as it takes to ensure he receives a burial they consider dignified, even if it means stalling the process, according to their spokesperson Makebi Zulu. They insist that while they were open to burying Lungu in Zambia, they want to honour his wishes that Hichilema should not attend the event. The presidential feud that even death couldn't end From Dos Santos to Mugabe - the burial disputes over ex-leaders But the authorities are adamant that the former president should be accorded a state funeral to be attended by his successor and given a proper send-off as a former president. The government, through the attorney general, has even indicated Lungu may have to be buried without the family's involvement. "If they want to set a precedent, let them give us reasons why the current president should not go near the casket. And who has told them that he wants to be near the casket, anyway?" he told the state broadcaster ZNBC. "We are ready as government to discuss with the family, we will never ignore the family unless the family just walks out... but the family has a right to say: 'We are not coming, we are not part of it.' Then we will proceed and bury without them." There is no Zambian law that stipulates how former presidents should be buried. Traditionally, all ex-leaders have been accorded state funerals and buried at Embassy Park, which is specifically reserved for them. Sishuwa Sishuwa, a Zambian historian and senior lecturer at South Africa's Stellenbosch University, strongly disagrees with the idea that Lungu could be buried without his family's involvement. "Such reckless statements are culturally insensitive, undermine the government's claims that its actions are motivated by the desire to accord Lungu a dignified burial, and indicate that political considerations rather than public interest are the key drivers at play," he told the BBC. "The failure by Hichilema to rein in on the unruly conduct of his officials and supporters has fed public perception that the president approves of such conduct and consequently heightened divisions." He argues that had Hichilema publicly indicated that he would stay away from the funeral, Lungu would have been buried long ago. Dr Sishuwa says that the authorities' determination to take the body of Lungu from the grieving family - in the name of giving him a dignified funeral - has not only worsened political divisions but has also fed the belief that the body may be wanted "for occult reasons", in a country where the belief in witchcraft is widespread. Nevers Mumba, the leader of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy, which is in a political alliance with Hichilema's party, has defended the president. "What drives [the president] is not obsession, but a deep, deep sense of duty. Hakainde Hichilema never gives up on anything he pursues as long as he believes he is doing the right thing," Mumba, who is also a pastor, wrote on his Facebook page. "He fights, with a clear conscience till the end, and he keeps on refining his methods until he gets it right." How long this fight will go on for is not known, but several episodes of the saga are yet to be written. Zambians may shrug and try to focus on other matters, but they will still get drawn into the debate about whether the body should "come home". More about Zambia from the BBC: Funeral row causes chaos for mourners of Zambia's ex-president Zambia dismisses US health warning after toxic spill in copper mining area 'My son is a drug addict, please help' - the actor breaking a Zambian taboo Artist explores the toxic mining legacy of Zambia's 'black mountains' Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Focus on Africa This Is Africa
Epoch Times
6 hours ago
- Epoch Times
Man Charged With Throwing Sandwich at Federal Agent Was DOJ Worker
The man, whose name has not been released, has been fired, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Federal and local law enforcement officers investigate a suspect's vehicle on South Capitol Street in Washington on Aug. 11, 2025. Federal and local law enforcement officers investigate a suspect's vehicle on South Capitol Street in Washington on Aug. 11, man charged with throwing a sandwich at a federal agent on Aug. 13 was an employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ), according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. The man, whose name has not been publicly released, has been fired, she said. 'If you touch any law enforcement officer, we will come after you. I just learned that this defendant worked at the Department of Justice—NO LONGER. Not only is he FIRED, he has been charged with a felony,' Bondi posted on X. Story continues below advertisement President Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard to Washington and taken over the city's Metropolitan Police Department. It shows a man standing across from a law enforcement officer and throwing a Subway sandwich at him, then fleeing the scene. The man was caught following a foot chase. 'The @FBI arrested this individual last night. He has been charged with felony assault on a federal officer,' FBI Director Kash Patel arrested this individual last night. He has been charged with felony assault on a federal officer,' FBI Director Kash Patel said on X, accompanied by a video of the incident. Bondi said the incident exemplifies resistance inside the Justice Department to the Trump administration's agenda. Story continues below advertisement 'This is an example of the Deep State we have been up against for seven months as we work to refocus DOJ,' she wrote on X. 'You will NOT work in this administration while disrespecting our government and law enforcement.' There were 45 arrests made in Washington on the evening of Aug. 13, according to Patel, including the former DOJ employee. 'The FBI and our partners made 45 arrests—29 immigration-related, 16 tied to the violent crime surge, and 3 firearm seizures,' Patel wrote on X. The president has instructed federal law enforcement to patrol the nation's capital for 24 hours, seven days a week. The federal government can control the city's police department for 30 days. Congress must approve any extension. Trump said an extension will be needed. Charges included illegal firearms, possession of child sex abuse material, drug trafficking, and assault on a federal officer. There were also fugitive apprehensions. 'We're going to be asking for extensions on that—long-term extensions,' he said on Aug. 13. 'You can't have 30 days.' 'This is Liberation Day in D.C., and we're going to take our capital back,' Trump said at a press conference. 'We're taking it back under the authorities vested in me as the president of the United States.' Trump announced on Aug. 11 a takeover of Washington's local police department and the deployment of National Guard personnel to the city. Story continues below advertisement He said Bondi is 'taking command of the Metropolitan Police Department' and that Drug Enforcement Administration leader Terry Cole is 'designated as the interim federal commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Department.' The National Guard does not have the authority to arrest people, but they can detain them until law enforcement arrives. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser has criticized Trump's moves, calling them 'unsettling.'
Politico
7 hours ago
- Politico
Eric Adams' no-quit credo could help spell Z-O-H-R-A-N for NYC
'If there were people running for mayor that I believe would continue the progress of our city, that's an easy call,' Adams said during a sitdown at Gracie Mansion. 'The people who are running — they are harmful to our city and the progress we've made. And I owe it to New Yorkers to get my story out to them and to run a campaign.' When asked which candidate — Mamdani or Cuomo — he thought would be worse for the city, the mayor could not choose. 'Both of them are extremely problematic,' he said. At the moment, the mayor does not have a clear path to victory. If he remains in play, though, he could very well impact the outcome of the race, drawing votes away from Cuomo and easing the way for Mamdani, a democratic socialist who has inspired fear among the city's moneyed elites. Mamdani bested Cuomo by 16 points in a July poll. And the incumbent has proven to be an energetic and dynamic campaigner who stands to make things increasingly difficult for the former governor. Three months out from Election Day, the mayor's determination to clear his name with New Yorkers — and cement his legacy in the process — is proving to be a boon for Mamdani, the candidate whose politics are furthest from Adams' conservative Democratic values. While Mamdani has energized the left and younger voters, he's also inspired something akin to existential dread among the city's business class, conservatives and moderate Democrats, who respectively fear he'll tank the city's financial outlook, oversee a spike in crime and give Republicans a ready foil during next year's midterm elections. 'History is going to be kind to me when I'm out of the political spotlight 10, 15 years from now, and they look over and say: You know what? We got to give this guy his due,' Adams said. 'That's what I'm fighting for.' So far, the fight has been lopsided. The mayor's competitors — to the extent they focus on Adams instead of each other — paint him as an executive beholden to President Donald Trump, whose Department of Justice successfully moved to dismiss the incumbent's five-count bribery case this spring. The mayor maintains he did nothing wrong — though the case's dismissal prompted a mass upheaval at DOJ — and turned the tables on his competitors: Mamdani in particular has been outspoken in his opposition to the policies being carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — a position Adams said will make it harder to cooperate with federal authorities on a wider range of public safety investigations. 'You can't let your emotions get in the way of those collaborations,' Adams said. 'We've made it clear to ICE: We're not going to collaborate with anything that's dealing with civil enforcement, but if you guys want to take dangerous people off the streets, particularly dangerous gangs, we want to coordinate.' Adams said his administration set up a daily 10 a.m. meeting between the NYPD, district attorneys and a host of federal authorities including the FBI — a confab he cited as key to a recent arrest of 27 alleged members of Tren de Aragua, an international gang that has attracted national headlines. 'I don't know how they're going to be able to ensure that we deal with some of the international terrorism, the international issues,' he added, referring to Mamdani and Cuomo. 'How do we do that to keep the city safe — which we are a target — if we're not collaborating with the White House and with our partners?' Mamdani's team pushed back against the mayor's characterization. 'Zohran has made it crystal clear that while he will work with the federal government when it's to the benefit of New Yorkers, he will never bow down to Trump's authoritarian attacks,' Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a statement. Cuomo — who reportedly had a personal phone call with the president about the race, though he has denied the exchange took place — has said he would similarly balance collaboration and resistance. 'During the first Trump administration, the governor worked with the federal government when it wanted to help New York and stood up to defend New York when the Trump administration sought to hurt it,' Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said in a statement. 'No one has a longer or stronger record of that than the governor. The mayor, I believe, was spending a lot of time in Turkey back then and may have missed it.' Adams' criminal case was dismissed April 2. A federal judge did not make any determination about the mayor's innocence or guilt but said the ordeal smacked of a bargain between Adams and Trump's DOJ. Regardless, elements of the accusations have continued to dog the mayor's campaign. The New York City Campaign Finance Board has previously cited the indictment and its allegations of a straw donation scheme involving Turkish interests as among the reasons it has repeatedly blocked Adams from receiving around $3.5 million in public matching funds. Adams has denied those accusations. As POLITICO reported Tuesday, Adams said he is working to obviate the CFB's determination by raising additional private funds and suggested his campaign would sue over the issue for a second time. 'If the courts decide we have a right to get the matching funds, we'll get them,' Adams said. 'If they don't, I have to raise the money based on that. And that's what I'm going to do.' In addition, state and federal prosecutors are pursuing cases against ousted Adams aides — one of whom has pleaded not guilty in a conspiracy, bribery and money laundering case and another who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud Tuesday. Those cases harken back to the mayor's own legal troubles 'When you read about it over and over again, it has an impact on voters,' he said. 'And that's why I have to get out and tell the story. I couldn't tell it for 15 months, … the number one thing that is in my defense, I tell people: read the indictment.' Federal prosecutors accused the mayor of accepting travel perks and straw donations in exchange for inquiring after the status of a fire safety inspection at a Midtown skyscraper owned by the Turkish government. Adams argued the complaint contains no evidence linking him to wrongdoing. After the dismissal, Adams characterized the case as a political hit job carried out by 'deep state' actors in the federal government as punishment for speaking out against former President Joe Biden's immigration policies during an election year. That accusation is undercut by several elements of the case, though. The mayor has also talked about a permanent government on the local level that has undermined pieces of his agenda. 'Now imagine [a city employee working for 35 years], how many mayors have you seen? You've gone through mayors and you already know that mayors are going to come and go, so if they are irritated that you are asking me to do something that I don't like, or you are asking me to do something that's going to hurt someone that I have a relationship in politics, there are ways to tie you up,' Adams said. 'And I was surprised at the depth of it.' Moving or firing city employees who he found problematic, Adams said, was more difficult than it seemed. 'If you were to tell a person your services are no longer needed, some of them are long-term civil service union employees. There's a whole process,' Adams said. 'If you want to reassign, you open yourself up to lawsuits. It's unfortunate that a lot of these actions get in the way of producing for our city. And that is probably one of the biggest barriers to move the cities forward.'
