THE Government yesterday maintained that it paid more than K63 billion as legal fees to local and foreign lawyers under the Taskforce on Corruption as opposition members of Parliament called for a thorough audit of the defunct institution.
Justice Deputy Minister Todd Chilembo said at a Press briefing yesterday that local lawyers had been paid more than K12 billion while foreign lawyers were paid more than K51.3 billion from 2003 to last year.
He said that the fees covered prosecution of criminal and civil cases involving former president Frederick Chiluba and other cases.
The deputy minister also said K2.2 billion (US$480,000) was outstanding as 2008 bills for local lawyers while for foreign lawyers it was K6.1 billion (US$1,338,231.06).
Mr Chilembo said from 2003 to 2008, a total of US$ 2.3 million plus K1.2 billion was paid to local lawyers while foreign lawyers received US$ 11.1 million.
“The total amount therefore for both foreign and local lawyers in dollar terms is US$ 13,521, 374.60. This in Kwacha terms translates to K62,198,323,160.00,” he said.
He said an additional amount of more than K1.2 billion was paid to local lawyers and the grand total was K63,400,527,160.00, which was more than the budgetary allocation to some ministries.
He said contrary to the statement by former Taskforce on Corruption chairperson Maxwell Nkole that US$5 million was paid as security for costs, the actual amount was four million pounds which in Kwacha was K32.2 billion.
“This amount has since been paid as legal fees to foreign lawyers. It is, therefore, not true that this money will come back to the Taskforce on Corruption. The lawyers exercised their legal rights on the money,” he said.
On Dr Chiluba’s London High Court judgment, he said the Government could not comment as the issues were still pending before the court.
He said it should be noted that when the president discussed the money spent on legal fees, he was talking about local and foreign lawyers and not just Mutembo Nchito as alleged by the Post newspapers.
Mr Chilembo said an investigative firm called Ovag was separately paid K9.2 billion while Meer Care and Desai was claiming K13.8 billion in a case in which judgment was expected by December 2, 2009 in a London Court.
Two weeks ago, sources told the Times that the Government spent $13 million on foreign lawyers and more than $900,000 on local private prosecutors.
The sources said $1.3 million was still outstanding for the foreign legal fees while $480,000 was owed to local private lawyers.
The money raised from the sale of properties seized abroad has gone towards settling the legal fees for the hired lawyers.
Mr Chilembo appealed to the media to give factual information to the public and not to deliberately distort or manipulate information for selfish interest.
And some Patriotic Front (PF) members of Parliament attending the National Constitution Conference (NCC) have called for a thorough audit of the Taskforce, which they said had drained a huge sum of money in the last seven years.
Spokesperson for the group Peter Machungwa said yesterday the dissolution of the Taskforce was long overdue because the body was just an adhoc arrangement targeted at a few individuals.
“The move to dissolve the Taskforce is welcome because the resources would now be used to strengthen institutions such as the ACC and the Judiciary, among others.
“We also call for a thorough audit of the Taskforce. This body was created to investigate cases of plunder but the reports of abuse coming from there are very unfortunate and disturbing,” Dr Machungwa said.
[Times of Zambia]
Machungwa should be the last chap to comment on the task force. Be careful your sins will find you out. We have not forgotten about the 2billion saga and your Lunga house. You will have to account for it some day. Don’t just yet rejoice. We will still investigate you. Just keep quiet.
It was a huge business venture for the parties involved. Cool and easy money was earned. No wonder the outcry to continue with the case(s). Imagine pursuing a thief whom you have accused to have stolen your cell phone work 100pin and you spend 2million kwacha. It defies logic.
I see the ones who mislead the president, it is The Ministry of Justice, Last time the Ministry of Energy did the same over fuel. Now Chipata is affected, no petrol! Lets see how the residents of Chipata react!
Despite huge fund to dissolved Task Force on Curruption, even the lito that was raised from sale of sized assets, that still went to pay off legal fees. So what benefit have Zambians gained from such an arrangement. So the pipo who were involved got more benefits than what they were prosecuting on our behalf. No wonder every Jack and Jack who were attached there life styles had changed now one wonders how they are going to adjust to ordinarly life. There are very simple ways of making money in Zambia. Yet we complain that we are a poor nation. This sounds like animal farm.
RB said Mutembo was paid $13m, but this minister is telling us that its $2.4m. Which is which? And who paid this money GRZ or Britain? In any case this money was not paid hard cash it was paid by cheque, which means we can be shown the statements of these transactions. Above all Mutembo was hired by GRZ and therefore they had to pay him for his services. MMD are just trying to justfy their misdeed. If a man steal K30,000 chicken, GRZ will spend over K1m to investigate the case, to prosecute, to transport the poor chap from Chililabombwe to Kamfisa, to feed him while in jail at Kamfinsa etc. But at the end of the day justice will have been done and society will have one vermin less to bother them. MMD must just keep quiet on this one.
Here I share Machungwa’s view,the resources should be used to strengthen the ACC as well as the judiciary unlike the private prosecutors.
The president clearly lied. And Nkole told the truth. He said that no local lawyer was paid that much money, and he was right as per these revelations. RB said the prosecution of the USD500,000 case was USD13m. He said appealing the case would take another 13m. Can he explain this?
I for one think Chiluba is a theif, and we should be directing our anger at the prosecution who failed to get a conviction not the judiciary. If Sata could have been acquited, why not Chiluba. The fact were there that Sata stole the cars, but the evidence failed to hold court. Chiluba is free because of lack of proper evidence like Sata’s case.
Those task force prosecutors have a case to answer. They need to explain how and why their legal costs were callculated. Now I see why they insist on it continuing with that useless venture called Task Force, so they can become more richer…..we need an audit as soon as possible.
When the people expresst their missgivingz about the Task Force, the government bent backwardz to deffend it. What haz changed now?
SO ALL THAT IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN RECOVERED HAS NOT AFTER ALL BENEFITED THE ZAMBIANS AS PURPORTED, BUT HAS BEEN SHARED AMONG LAWYERS! IT IS JUST TRANSFER OF THE SO CALLED ‘LOOT’ TO LAWYERS! WELL WELL WELL!!!! NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY THE BENEFICIARY CLIQUE IS HAS BEEN FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL TO CONTINUE DRAINING PUBLIC RESOURCES. I DO NOT THINK EVEN THE SCORPION SPEND THAT MUCH IN SUCH A TIME PERIOD. WELL THIS IS ZAMBIA, WHERE THE ‘MEDIA’ PLAYS THE ROLE OF “OPIUM” TO BLIND THE UNSUSPECTING ZAMBIANS.
#8
I sensed something fishy within the Task force especially its oprational costs.Within two years of its existence,Govt spent a staggering K3 billion in legal fees.This caused an uproar in parliament especially with the matching results (fruits on the table)but LPM assured the country that it was money well spent.
Simple. You spend K63 billion on lawyers. get the US$ 45 million from Chiluba too. why areent you registering the London judgment?
#8 You are wrong. There was no lack of evidence against Chiluba. He was acqitted because the was of THEFT BY A PUBLIC OFFICER and the presiding magistrate in his own way decided that Chiluba was not A PUBLIC OFFICER. This to me was enough ground for the state to appeal so that the court could explain who a public officer is. The PROSECUTION did its job on behalf of GRZ, but GRZ stabbed them in the back. History will vindicate MUTEMBO.
#12 Yes there is money we are reluctant to recover. What a bunch of clowns we have ruling us.
The whole issue has been a circus, they have chewed taxpayers money and thieves are have been set free. its a scandal
#13 thanks for teh correction, I see he was acquited on a matter of technicality not on evidence. However I still think a proper prosecution galloping large amounts as prosecution fees, should have anticpated the defences case and ensure that they rebutt that defence. I still think directing anger at the judiciary is not correct as we setting double standards. Prosecution for me have a case to answer!
Machungwa MACHUNGWA, IS THIS NOT THE CHAP WHO WAS ALWAYS BY CHILUBA’S SIDE EVERY TIME LAZO APPEARIED IN COURT? Even among stinking thieves, there should be a certain degree of decency and I hope Machungwa realises that given his closeness to Chiluba he should be the last to talk of the ills of the Task Force because clearly there is a conflict of interest he should declare here. Well, for someone whose mouth and sorrounding area perpetually looks like the female genetalia, one cannot expect something good to pop out. I also wonder why Rupiah does not find Machungwa’s mouth and beard sorrounding it pornographic? Maybe its because it resembles the organ between Dora’s legs which Kansundila finds salivating.
#13, Thanks a lot for being factual. This is the same point the LAZ, Sikatana, Chongwe etc highlighed. When you are holding a public office, be it appointed or elected, you are a public officer, period. If anything, this magistrate was under extreme pressure and by making this observation in hus hashed judgement, he was just trying to help the prosecution prepare fertile grounds to appeal his clearly flawed judgement resultant from unbearable pressure from the executive. I salute you #13. If only more Zambians were this thoughful and not welded to howling like wolves in the dead of the night, this country might progress.
#17 hold your fire!! iyee iyee iyeeee iyo kwena mulaponta mwebantu!
#10(CM)
The SCORPIONS are no longer in existence.Whereas the SCORPIONS were a govt organ unlike our TF(adhoc).The SCORPIONS were very poerful that the police and were acting on commands from the President.The SCORPIONS were notoriously known to raid Thabo Mbeki’s ANC opponents.It is for this reaon President Motlanthe disbanded it and merged it with the Police.
#20
Read”were very powerful than the police”.
#17 Sebuloni Kamutanda twatina. Hold your fir indeed. Ok but fipuba ifina Machungwa nomba iyo mwabonfya yatutinya. That is a chief ponto indeed
Bwezani and his clowns should be talking about the registration of the “London Judgment” and the conclusion of the Carringtone maize deal, the Arms deals and othe thefts that Chiluba perpetrated.
The Task Force did its job but the President and his clowns are deliberately trying to make it a hate institution by the general public.
Mr President, you cannot full us because we know that Chiluba’s acquital was state engineered which makes our judiciary a laughing-stock of the commonwealth judicial systems.
What the people of Zambia wanted was to see that justice was done and not just let go of a thief on the pretext of legal fees.
Mr President, don’t forget that what you are spending on your travels is a waste of public resources as compared to the cost of litigation of plunderers.
On a local futbo note; Brave Nchanga Rangerz yesterday bounced back to the Premier after beating Kitwe United 2-1in style at KPF ground and subsequently won the Divizion 1 North League.
Then Chiluba should also get back to court like Sata did by claiming malicious prosecution. Govt to top some Cash &500,00=K2500,000,000 is not enough
TFC=Poor Value For taxpayers’ Money (donor and Zambians)
Indeed like i have publicly kept saying from time in memorial, the TFC as an Adhoc entity was a poor value for money.Mwanawasa realized it late and started threatening its abolition but was being held under siege by the Mark Chona-Mmembe infidels.RB has shown courageous leadership by saving public money.Even taxpayers from Donor countries stopped trickling in in early 2007.Why, because they realized there was no value for money in hell.Look at Nkole with his protruding ignorance and killing depression,the poor chap unfortunately does not know how much Mark Chona and Mutembo plundered through frontiers.They arranged for those attorney fees.He doesn’t even understand why Mwanawasa unceremoniously fired Mark Chona.Summary, poor value for money.Let it be audited.
No wonder Nkole is already dying of depression. Its a matter of time because the sooner he left the job, he has become a self confined living shell.ext thing is collapsing.
This is a circus. Iam busy Shopping and get disturbed by such cases
You are either opn Nkole’s side or Rupiah’s side.Which side are you on prior to commenting?No 28 no need to speculate about people’s health. You could have AIDS or cancer as we talk, You dont hide from God. muppet!
The all situation is sick when I look at both ends . Nkole and his friends where not supposed to be earning huge sums of money when the country is plunged with high levels of poverty and some well qualified personnel are earning less than 200 dollars paid by the same employer.
Secondly, we expected RB government to restructure Task Force and ensured that all the cases before the courts where completed and most important justice to prevail in the case involving Chiluba
And most of you people are ”the cream of the cream”……with only 1 in 5 offering logical analysis and informed opinions …the rest the best they can do is do the PF thing…INSULT !..
I miss the mature bloggers….
#30 LUAPULA FISH (PALE, MBOWA?)- Since morning you are the only one who has offered a workable alternative to this SAGA. Yes why not restructure the TF with reduced perks if it true Mutembo got 13m Dollars.
The last time i checked, Max Nkole was not the one responsible for allocating budgetory resources to tha task force. So what the Government are saying is that Nkole is not telling the truth, The Governmnet did in fact over pay for legal services, they did fund an ill concieved plan and they are incompetent and responsible for all the mess. Unless they want to blame Nkole, which although typical of them, is totally ludicrous.
Over the course of these trials and including the balance to be paid to him, Mutembo’s firm will have received just under $1m (Approx circa $900k). Thats about $150k per annum if you take it over 6 yrs. That is not unrealistic for a law firm to earn. Mutembo therefore earns more than your average Zambian – Fact. But he earns it, and even risks his life. Remember Wezi Kaunda, Ronald Penza, Paul Tembo etc?
When you hear Nkole speaking he seems to suggest that no single lawyer or the operators of Task Forcebenefitted from the plunder cases. Its either the man is so dull or he thinks Zambian people are too stupid to reason and think. Nkole, Chona and the Nchintos had vested interested in the Task Force – to keep the thing going as long as possible.Why can’t nkole mention the figure paid to the local and foreign lawyers? He further seems to suggest that since the funding came from abroad, they are quite entitled to pay themselves huge amounts of money. Nkole is an enemy of the people of Zambia, he does not know what he is talking about. Let him produce his payslips for the last three years, people will be shocked at the high levels of Chapagne lifestyle.
If there are people we need to crucify it is those in MMD government including RB. These guys were suporting the Task Force when Levy was alive. Levy at one Press conference admitted of paying more than what was being recovered but some people within the MMD suported the TF especially Minister of Justice. Kunda need to be fire for having mislead the former president.
This task force fails to make the grade on many fronts. like 1 bloger says, how do you spend 100milion to recover a 100pin stolen phone? On the legal front also, the prosecution failed to see a technicality thru which the case was tossed out! Leaves sum interestin questions.. was it deliberate to continue with the prosecution in the name of appeal? Who else benefited from this taskforce and last but not least, where does it leave Mr. Intergrity(Mwanawasa) Is his legacy worth protecting? Did he in anyway benefit?
Guys it is mutembo chinto who made mistakes in charging Chiluba.Chiluba was aquited on technicality.Chiluba is not a civil servant according to the constitution of Zambia.Chiluba was not appointed by secretary to the Cabinet.Chiluba was elected by the pipo.
It doesnt matter how much was paid, the thing is that that silly White Elephant drained our money !
OK DO A SMALL MATH, ALL THE PROPERTIES CONFISCATED FROM PLUNDERERS HAVE BEEN SOLD TO PAY LAWYERS, AND ANY WAY, SAYS GOVT. WE STILL OWE THEM $2MILLION FREAKING us DOLLARS! AND WE SPENT 13MILLION us DOLLARS IN FEES!
HOW MUCH HAVE TO RECOVERED FOR THE POOR ZAMBIANS…UH ,.. NOTHING. MWANAWASA WAS INDEED A GREAT PRESIDENT!!!!!! NO WONDER HIS WIDOW IS WALKING AWAY WITH WITH $10 MILLION us DOLLARS IN HER ACCOUNT!
WHAT A STUPID COUNTRY YOU CALL ZAMBIA!
WHAT A S TU PID COUNTRY! AM ASHAMED TO BE ONE OF YOU S I LLY BOMBO-CLOTS!!
#17 do you have parents or you just dropped from mars. You are a disgress
#17 you are a product of the same area you are trying to paint black
# 17, Your language is disgusting, offensive and unbelievably insulting.