Lusaka, February 05, ZANIS-The Lusaka High Court today adjourned to February 13th, 2008, a ruling on preliminary issues raised by opposition Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata and his Secretary General Edward Mumbi.

This is in the matter in which 33 PF Members of Parliament participating in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) obtained an injunction against their expulsion from the party.

Lawyer representing Mr. Sata, Mumba Kapumpa informed PF members who were waiting for the ruling in the courtroom that the matter had been adjourned to February 13th, because the ruling was not ready.

He said the notice for Judge Gregory Phiri to prepare the ruling was not ready today.

Earlier, PF cadres and some MPs had a hostile exchange of words with those participating in the NCC whom they labelled as betrayers.

Those who turned up at the High Court included Peter Machungwa for Luapula constituency Faustina Sinyangwe for Matero, Marjory Masiye for Mufulira, Lubansenshi's Lazarus Chota and Barnabas Chela for Wusakile constituency.

Last year, over 25 PF Members of Parliament, led by Kasama Central MP, Saviour Chishimba, applied for an injunction in the High Court against any impending expulsion from the party because of their decision to participate in the NCC.

The preliminary issues which Mr. Sata's lawyers raised during the last hearing in court were that the endorsement of the writ of summons and statement of claim by the plaintiffs did not disclose any cause of action against defendants.

They submitted that the claims should therefore be dismissed as the actions did not disclose the violation and breach caused by the defendants to warrant this action.

But plaintiffs' lawyers said their clients' claims were based on the prouncements that the defendants made in the print and electronic media in which they threatened to and warned to expel those participating in the NCC from the party.

ZANIS/KSH/BMK/ENDS