She was arrested three months ago at Zambia’s main international airport upon arrival for her grandmother’s funeral. Edwards pleaded guilty in a Lusaka magistrate’s court and issued an apology to the president.
Magistrate Webster Milumbe said the court needed to send a clear message amid rising cases of hate speech. Edwards was convicted under the new Cyber Security Act and Cyber Crimes Act, which came into force earlier this year. Her lawyer, Joseph Katati, described her as a remorseful first-time offender, noting that she was a breadwinner and philanthropist who funded a girls’ football team in Zambia. He delivered a detailed written apology on her behalf, directed at the president, his family and the nation.
Edwards appeared subdued throughout the hearings, in stark contrast to her outspoken online persona. The magistrate ruled that her 18-month sentence would be counted from the date of her arrest. Katati said he had not yet received instructions on whether she intended to appeal. The case has sparked mixed reactions in Zambia, with supporters calling the ruling necessary and critics arguing it undermines freedom of speech.
Although President Hichilema scrapped criminal defamation laws against the presidency in 2022, prosecutions continue under other legislation. In September, two men were sentenced to two years in prison for attempting to use witchcraft to harm the president.