Maravi

Rupiah is defending criminals – Sata

Rupiah is defending criminals – Sata
By Patson Chilemba
Sat 12 Dec. 2009, 04:01 CAT

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday charged that it is in fact President Rupiah Banda and Chalwe Mchenga who are misleading the nation by defending criminals, and not the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ).

And Lusaka lawyer Ludwig Sondashi echoed Sata’s sentiments, saying the government should heed observations by LAZ on the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) because the association never issued statements without researching the law.

Commenting on information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha’s statement that the government was saddened that LAZ was issuing misleading statements on the DPP following the association’s observation to the Attorney General that the powers of the DPP had been usurped by the Executive, Sata said LAZ was supposed to protect the office of the DPP from abuse.

He said it was unlawful for the DPP to receive instructions from the Executive on the delivery of justice to the people. Sata said everything he warned the nation about President Banda last year was now manifesting in the President’s conduct. He asked Lt Gen Shikapwasha to stop misleading the nation.

Apart from Lt Gen Shikapwasha, Sata said, President Banda, Vice-President George Kunda and Mchenga were misleading the nation.

“… President Banda, since he came to office, since he started to act as president, he has ignored the rule of law, it’s him who started congratulating people without knowing who has said ‘thank you very much for the acquittal’,” Sata said.

“It is him who is sending Mr Shikapwasha to defend criminals and mislead the nation. Chalwe Mchenga is also involved.”

Sata demanded that acting Attorney General Abyudi Shonga should respond to the letter from LAZ and not Lt Gen Shikapwasha whom he described as an empty head that wanted to comment on matters he did not understand.

Sata said Lt Gen Shikapwasha was more competent flying aeroplanes and not to talk about matters of law.

And Sondashi said it was right that LAZ had observed the Executive’s continuous influence on the judicial organs of the state.

“What the LAZ said is correct, and the government through their spokesperson, Reverend Gen Shikapwasha must heed to LAZ. LAZ does not issue statements without researching the law, so Mr Shikapwasha must be very careful when he is dealing with the law, he will be out of government and he is going to be affected over the issues that are being raised about the DPP,” Sondashi said.

“In fact I would go further myself to suggest that the DPP, if he is worth the position he holds should just resign. He should step down so that another DPP who can withstand pressure can be appointed because as far as we are concerned, even I have lost confidence in the DPP.”

Sondashi said one did not even need to go far because President Banda recently confirmed that he exerted power on the DPP not to appeal former president Frederick Chiluba’s acquittal.
He said even the acquittal was in itself questionable.

“It is the Executive which is misleading the nation, not LAZ. How can LAZ mislead the nation? You see, they know that Chiluba is guilty. He has even been found guilty of corruption, and even President Banda’s children are found to be engaging in corrupt activities,” Sondashi said.

He rubbished Lt Gen Shikapwasha’s assertion that the statement by LAZ created an impression that the DPP could only be expected to make anti-government decisions.

“There is nothing convincing from what Shikapwasha is talking about,” Sondashi said.
On Lt Gen Shikapwasha’s statement that LAZ was being discredited by the people issuing statements in its name, Sondashi said LAZ president Stephen Lungu could not issue statements without consulting the LAZ executive.

He said Lt Gen Shikapwasha had reacted in a harsh manner because he expected LAZ to speak in favour of the government.

“Mr Lungu is now coming up. What he Lungu has done is what some of us members of LAZ expect that he must not only issue statements which support government,” said Sondashi. “Mr Shikapwasha’s statement should be condemned with all the force that is there.”

Recently, Lungu revealed that LAZ had written to the Attorney General, observing that the powers of the DPP had been taken over by the Executive.

But in response, Lt Gen Shikapwasha stated that the statement attributed to Lungu must be dismissed as it added no value to enhancing the integrity of the Judiciary and other arms of governance.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha accused LAZ of issuing misleading statements on the matter.

Labels: LAZ, LUDWIG SONDASHI, RUPIAH BANDA, SATA, STEPHEN LUNGU

posted by MrK @ 5:52 AM