THE LAW Association of Zambia (LAZ) has reprimanded senior Lusaka lawyer Roger Chongwe over his recent public attacks on the Judiciary. This comes a week after former Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Edward Mumbi challenged LAZ to rise above petty politics and stop its members like Dr Chongwe from attacking the judiciary.
Mr Mumbi said last week that LAZ should stop Dr Chongwe from attacking High Court judge Evans Hamaundu over his ruling on the registration of former president Chiluba’s London High Court judgment.
LAZ president Stephen Lungu said in Livingstone yesterday that the association had written to Dr Chongwe to reprimand him over his recent attacks on the judiciary and warned that it would not take kindly to lawyers that willingly attacked the judiciary in public.
Mr Lungu was answering questions at the on-going state advocates workshop being held at Livingstone’s Protea hotel. He said it was sad that senior legal practitioners like Dr Chongwe had continued to attack the judiciary which they were part of.
“As for the case of Dr Roger Chongwe in the case involving Sebastian Zulu, I want to say that it was unfortunate for Dr Chongwe to go public and talk against the judiciary. We, as an association have since written to him reprimanding him over the action. We have rules and regulations as a legal entity and we expect senior lawyers, of all practitioners to adhere to them.
“The association will not take kindly to lawyers insulting the judiciary. It is baffling and annoying for lawyers to speak against the judiciary in public like that. “When you insult the judiciary, you are insulting yourself,” he said.
He warned lawyers and other legal practitioners against issuing derogatory remarks or insulting the judiciary saying the association would not spare them once found out.
Mr Lungu said whichever lawyer attacked the judiciary in public would face the wrath of the association. He urged lawyers to always maintain a good relationship with the judiciary.
“A lawyer once admitted, becomes an officer of the court and has a responsibility of protecting the court and ensuring that the rule of law is maintained at all times. If you insult the judiciary, you are insulting yourself,” he said.
Earlier in his presentation, Mr Lungu said his association placed great emphasis on the education of lawyers to ensure those who aspired to become lawyers attained the requisite standards.
He said LAZ would continue to emphasise on the upholding of the rule of law and compliance to the Constitution of the country.
[Times of Zambia]
I keep wondering why LT does not have an entertainment section were such articles can be carried.
Stifles a huge yawn and turns the page…………..
Chongwe is right, tohave trashed the Hamaundu Judgement. If omething is wrong. it is wrong. Chongwe was disgusted just like majority of Zambians. Why should Steven Lungu also claim they have written to Dr. Chongwe is he does not want to talk about such issues in public. Ala, he should have just said we resolving it administratively.
When people are uncomfortable by certain rulings or injustices they should be allowed to express their views freely! With due respect to LAW , the case involving our former head state has left more questions than answers! Can somebody in GRZ confirm or deny that the country never lost any money($46million) ?
# 2
majority of Zambians?????? In the absence of empirical data on this individual opinion, assumption is the lowest level of knowledge synonymous with empty tins. When did you canvas the 9 provinces, over 53 districts, chiefdoms, constituencies and 12 million plus citizens?
Produce schedule of seized property, UK challenged
FORMER Patriotic Front (PF) secretary General Edward Mumbi has challenged the British government to provide a schedule of property allegedly recovered from second Republican president, Frederick Chiluba.
Mr Mumbi said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday, that the British government embarked on a campaign to scandalise Dr Chiluba for his refusal to sell Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) to them.
He said that the British government should provide a schedule of assets recovered from Dr Chiluba following the London Judgement.
Part of the rationale for taking the matter to London was the explanation that Dr Chiluba and others had assets all over Europe.
“So the British High Commissioner should give a schedule of assets that had been recovered all over Europe in this regard.”
He said British High Commissioner to Zambia Tom carter should come out clearly and tell the truth instead of allegedly hiding behind the Geneva convention.
He said he was greatly surprised that the statement issued by the British high commissioner on Friday last week, which stated that through the London Judgment, assets valued at millions of British Pounds, were recovered on behalf of the Zambian people.
“The London Judgment remains discredited in our view, it was a judgment paid for by the British. They hired a brother to the then prime minister Tony Blair (Willem Blair QC) to prosecute Dr Chiluba because of his refusal to sell the mines and his refusal to take up Blair’s dirty politics in the SADC region,” he said.
Mr Mumbi alleged that Judge Peter Smith who handled the matter was not credible, and that he (Mr Smith) was subject to numerous investigations for his regular misconduct.
He said after the judgment, Mr Smith tried to procure a job and shares claiming that he had ruled against a former African head of State and therefore, his credentials were high.
After the judgment, the main defendants in Meer Care and Desai appealed against this matter, and that the Appeals Court dismissed the London Judgment stating that it did not meet the minimum standards of a court trial.
“We urge Government to consider diplomatic action against the British High Commissioner.
“We are also surprised that PF leader Michael Sata is condemning the High Court for its decision to dismiss the London judgment,” he added.
Mr Mumbi said when Dr Chiluba was associated with PF, Mr Sata made numerous public statements demanding that the charges against Dr Chiluba be dropped.
He said Mr Sata was also on record of condemning Government for taking a former head of State to court in England.
Lawyers have the responsibity to respect and protect the courts so some statements from people like Chongwe are careless!
Mwata and London you are talking like that because you are not adversely affected. Here at home we who have no connections with MMD have no hope fair trial. The MMD members can anything and get away with it. I can give an example of a Mofya an MMD top cadre, this man is alleged to have been involved in huge money laundering activities, but up to now the DEC have just been pleading to him to report to their offices to no avail. Infact the case is now forgotten. It is this kind of actions which breed rebellions. And when civil strife breaks out it does not distinguish between MMD and non MMD. So so called Mwata you should look at the issue with a broad perception notonly at what MMD is doing for you personally. We are all sad and angry with the MMD courts and we shall react.Make up your mind
But recently Lungu also commented on the judgement in public. Has he reprimanded himself? The truth is that this Lungu is o use to be RB’s advocate to we should not expect anything from him. RB is in charge. Wherever Zambians will run to, he has planted his men. so we are doomed.
Mpangula Mputyu
Chongwe is right as Mr Roger Chongwe, but when he writes as a learned member of the legal fraternity, he is wrong. I may add to say that Chongwe is not even the right person to comment on cases involving Dr Chiluba because he has issues with the man. In the rules of natural justice, Chongwe shoul recuse himself from Dr Chiluba’s cases.
Having said that, Judges make decisions and those decisions are stare decis, until a superior court over rules. Law is not static but always growing, never shrinking. Any verdict, no matter how popular today, may be laughed out of court tomorrow. That is the nature of law, otherwise we would not need lawyers.
CHIGUNTA
Lungu did not attack the Judiciary, he wrote to the Attorney General to advance law, by appealing the judgement so that a more settled precedence on the issue of Foreign judgements may be written into our laws. The Attorney General however, can not act beyond the instructions given to him by his client, GRZ.
Now, case law has been set in this matter by Hamaundu. Commit a crime in UK, run to Zambia and you will be free, until such a time as: 1. The President adds the UK to part 2 of the Foreign Judgements Act or 2. The Supreme Court sets a new precedent.
Useless thieving lawyers. imagine someone relying on Fred Mmembes or fake dr Chongwe’s legal advice…. they are like chibwi no plan . . . Please hire seasoned laywers like Christopher Mundia or Prof. Mvunga . . . .
That f.o.o.l who calls himself Mwata should stop posting things that we have all read are you repeating it to your f.u.c.king mother? You are a waste of space
Ya dont post things that we have already read.
That is why Aristotle dismissed law as being rigid and thus should not be relied on when you have people who ar able to think (the philosopher kings). I mean the truth is chiluba store but we keep on going round and round coz of the rigiditiness of the legal profession
The Drama Continues!! Ba Lawyer ba pa ZED
Times of Zambia supplier of news to Lusaka times. LT subsidiary of Times of Zambia. TL cannot live without Times of Zambia.
Its the Times of Zambia being quoted. Dr Chongwe should be allowed to air his views and LAZ also questioned the failure by DPP or Attorney General to appeal. Mumbi is an empty tin that is just making noise n bootlicking
All articles are from the Times of Zambia, biased as usual.
A load of sanctimonious horse crap! So what if an “officer of the court” feels the court is not doing its job well? Why maintain a status quo that is not effective and is only independent and noble in the eyes of members?
Chongwe is absolutely right – no one in a democracy is immune to criticism. The same way we want MMD or RB to be criticised, the same applies to the judiciary ( which by the way IS NOT LAZ)!
LAZ has no stand of their own. Why should they act as they are instructed by Membe or Mumbi to speak against the Hamaund ruling. Why can’t they act according to their rprinciples and not what they are told to do or criticised by Mmebe or the other cadre mumbi
I believe LT cannot quote the POST (just like the POST is not featured on ‘What the Papers Say’ – or do not say) so why do bloggers go on about the few sources of news for LT. You are flogging a dead horse.
What the f..k is happening is Zed,everyone is bickering on a f..king daily basis. The print & online media is full of the same crap day in day out,the tv probably has the same crap too,it’s all to do with Chi Banda,Ka Chiluba,the Judiciary,MMD,PACT,can’t people get to serious work.
Am also tired of seeing the same useless faces in the newspapers,it’s either Hikaumba saying rubbish against an opposition leader or he’s got his tail behind his back praising Chi Banda or you’ve got Ka Mulongoti talking nonsense as usual or Ka William Banda with his archaic clothes talking rubbish. I can’t remember the last time i checked out ZNBC,Times & Daily Mail online pages coz they make me sick,LT is slowly going in that direction!
This statement is shocking especially coming from the entire LAZ president himself: “A lawyer once admitted, becomes an officer of the court and has a responsibility of protecting the court and ensuring that the rule of law is maintained at all times. If you insult the judiciary, you are insulting yourself,” May the good lord god almight save us all his children, just how could one expect a sane person to “protect the court and ensuring that the rule of law is maintained at all times” even when court rulings by corrupt judges clearly are bent on undermining the very rule of law itself? Ba Lungu, uku ndiye kulakwa ngango. Such fence hanging acrobatics stink to the very heavens.
The only stand the LAZ has on any matter is “hanging by the fence”. They should therefore be ashamed of their “perpetual yellow stance” and leave gallant son’s of the soil wo never shy away from telling the truth like Chongwe.
The Pact debate has re-surfaced. Like someone stated recently, it is more interesting than this London judgement nonsense which is actually jargon to many of those bloggers who pretend to understand the law. Just stick to simple things like Pact, your brains are more suited for that.
The problem with Chongwe is that he peddling Mmembe;’s agenda. The Sodomites at the post have been hammered by Nchito’s sacking, disbandmant of task force and the Hamaundu judgement. Lets call a spade a spade, Levy was vindictive and created a fake case and now that he is dead it has collapsed like a pack of cards .
Too bad the Post based their newspaper sales on scandalizing chiluba. Now it may be time for FTJ to now claim libel from the Post and have it closed due to the huge K 50 billion settlement that will be slapped on them.
Mwata’s contributions above make very sad reading. You know, he might be having a cozy warm feeling after pasting these foul excrements of his on this site, just like pissing oneself in a dark suit does give one a warm feeling, but the crax of the matter remains that the man has wet himself intellectually (cimukulu chonce). This is the same chap who once claimed Chiluba should be forgiven for stealing by mistake, clearly oblivious to the fact that stealing once could be deemed a stupid impulse while Chiluba’s repeated habit of sticking his dirty Katangese fingers in the national coffer teal is clearly a vice most injurious to the fabric of society and one found repugnant by all civilized being save for low life like Mwata.
All you minons and *****s complaining about LT being biased should shut up and go read the Post, the only PF vuvuzela!!
Mumbi seems to be a dangerous loose cannon or is he just looking for a job from RB ? After all he was campaigning with him in the bye elections that MMD lost.That should show the value of the man! He should reconcile with himself, the bitterness he has for Sata is getting him nowhere, no, possibly it will get him to high blood pressure and a stroke.
Hallo everyone, the circus called Zambia is in town. And the funniest clowns are called Mumbi and Zambian judiciary.