Following media reports on the Zambian government’s failure to lay charges in support of requests for the arrest of Henry Banda, son of former Zambian President Rupiah Banda,their legal counsel have dismissed the arrest requests as unfounded and politically motivated.
This is contained in a statement availed to Lusakatimes by Vuma Reputation Management.
“These unspecified allegations against Henry Banda are politically driven and without foundation. It is clearly not a genuine investigation,” said Robert Amsterdam of Amsterdam & Peroff LLP, who represents both Rupiah and Henry Banda.
“The bogus accusations levelled against Henry, which change from day to day, form part of a wider campaign to persecute the former president, his party and the political opposition at large.”
The Government of Zambia is using the false pretext of “anti-corruption” to eliminate political competition, said Amsterdam.
Two weeks ago the ruling Patriotic Front party, through the Chief Registrar of Societies, attempted to force the de-registration of the opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) and vacate 53 parliamentary seats.
On Monday, April 2, the Zambian police arrested and jailed without bail opposition spokesperson Dora Siliya, who served as Communications Minister under former President Rupiah Banda.
“As we have seen from the attempts to dissolve the MMD and the repeated arrests of opposition party leadership, there are elements within the highest levels of the governing Patriotic Front party which seek to return Zambia to a one-party state,” Amsterdam said.
“In the absence of any real evidence against Henry Banda, we can see that the government is making arrests and attempting to pressure individuals to produce false evidence.”
Amsterdam continued: “This charade is an embarrassment to Zambia’s legal system and should not be tolerated by the public. Most Zambians can see right through these fabricated charges and trials-by-headline which are politically driven and in no way rooted in fact.
Make no mistake: democracy and the rule of law are under attack in Zambia today.”
Amsterdam & Peroff LLP along with law firm Brian Kahn Inc of Johannesburg, South Africa were appointed to represent Former President Rupiah Banda and his son Henry Banda on March 22, 2012. The legal team is currently preparing emergency appeals to international bodies to halt the unlawful conduct of the Government of Zambia.
Well, its upto PF Govt to prove that they are not politically motivated.
Lawyers will say anything to get more money in their pockets. Don’t be fooled.
u re rite! bakolwe aba dont they know that we have suffered too much becoz of thier unproffessional conducts towards such cases regarding corrupt politicians? lawyers of nowadays its all abount money not seriousness 1 example is Sikwiba Sikote
Banda vs Sata………..I think Sata under estimated the Bandas.they won’t go down without a fight.
Another Kandile! nishilya shine mwalile mwanya! they will never be free in this world till they are proven innocent! elyo patali otherwise kukakwa those if those service men can be jailed who are bandas, fyakulabutaukafye kwati ni mbeba
Its only in Africa where you can have such stupidity of a president’s son getting involved in government contracts. Here, even when an MP employs a family member for constituency data collection, they have to face the law. Political or non politically motivated, no one should be above the law, except when they have all the money.
What do you mean except when they have all the money?? we want a rule of law which wont favour anyone regardless of status. when you are wrong you are wrong no-more outlawz
I guess you know nothing of the Iron Lady’s son…and the wars he caused in Africa, Asia and Mid-east…Mark is the name…google the issue and you will see how Number 10 stood in dirt to help out this son of the so called great lady…ONLY IN AFRICA MY BOOT!
The govt shud b fighting corruption genuinely nt just 2 persecute pipo with divergent views.Corruption fight shud b extended 2 current govt officers to set a gud example,or else we wil b losing so much money fighting a losing battle.
The Banda’s hired this law firm simply to try and get international sympathy that they are being persecuted..The guilty always make the most noise about their innocence than the innocent do. In any case this law firm Amsterdam & Peroff LLP represents only high profile cases and are very expensive, their rate is about $ 5,000.00 per hour of service.By the time judgment is passed the this case would have been going on for years, So ask yourselves,How much money are the Banda’s going to pay these lawyers and where did they get the money
Do also look at the other side if the State looses the case with costs whose money will pay these same expensive lawyers? For all I know Henry might even get a cut when the government compesates these lawyers.
Lundazi dweller are you saying that the government should not prosecute just because of fear to lose? You must be naive.
The government needs to do a very good job at investigation stage. The whole thing has ‘expensive politics’ written all over it because of government wings only acting when pressed by plot 1, and issuing instructions to the accused through the media.
Anyway judging by the speed and desperation of arrests of opposition officials by the state,definately questions should be asked on legality of the all prosess! Zambia is not a Police state and above all we are a fine examlpe of true democracy in Africa.let the rule of law take its course without interferance by the so called rulling party.
Amsterdam, you are no lawyer at all. How can you start appealing to world gallary before even looking at why your client Henry is running all over the place trying to hide. What is he trying to hide from. When his father was President he was in every ministry organising business for himself and his family. If he was genuine, why hasn’t he continued with his business in ministries. Come off the the grass Amsterdam. Be real. Don’t just think about the money you are going to make by representing the Bandas.
A LAWYER CAN EVEN DEFEND HIS OWN MOTHER’S MURDERER IF HE HAS SEEN AND SNIFFED MONEY. THEY DON’T CARE.
Sharp Shooter is right, The PF government is persecuting people with divergent view. A good example is Dora Siliya who during her tenure of office abused with impunity the authority that we the people entrusted to her, thinking only about herself and not the masses that had no medice, education etc. Ba PF this is a grave injustice, How can the PF Government put a woman with such soft matakoz in Jail..Awe Kwena. Now those soft matakoz will come back hard one.
Okey, if the allegations are false, why are you running away?? The Zambian law enforcers have so far treated you as a person of interest, but that is changing. No more kid gloves. First we arrest your accomplice, Dollar Sillier. One night in jail and she will be a believer and reveal everything. You can run, but not hide
Good. Lelo ba bbisa kabbuddula ya white ba LT.
Reputation Management my foot! These are a bunch of spin doctors whose specialize in “stealth lying” to influence public opinion.
Henry conducted a lot of business using his father’s position. Those who disagree with this statement of fact should urgently get their heads out of their ar**s before they suffocate!
there is nothing wrong doing business
I am very disappointed with the western diplomats accredited to Zambia. They must speak against what is turning out to the destruction of a thriving democracy and the rule of law. Zambia will be a test case of the destruction and mismanaging what was Africa’s thriving economy. Diplomats from modern democracies should speak now or forever hold their peace. What is happening in Zambia today is worse than what is going on in Syria. The incarceration of Dora Siliya and the judicial nullification of opposition parliamentary seats are providing a platform for President Sata and his friends to loot state resources with little resistance. This is the stuff of which dictators are made. By definition, the dictator is responsible to no one, no organisation, to no social institution.
Just shut up you *****. Tell me where Doras’ teenage son got 2billion without even working. Mind you the boy doesn’t even know his father. To you Dora should not be arrested, what kind of thinking is this sure.
but who said Henry Banda is hiding? he is just living normally and is seen in public.Just because he isn’t jumping on the first flight to Zambia to play to the gallery of his persecutors doesn’t mean he is hiding.Everyone knows where Henry Banda is except the dull Zambia Police
How can Henry Banda be South African, maybe he can be, its in their family blood.
I lke this
Amsterdam continued: “This charade is an embarrassment to Zambia’s legal system and should not be tolerated by the public. Most Zambians can see right through these fabricated charges and trials-by-headline which are politically driven and in no way rooted in fact.
Make no mistake: democracy and the rule of law are under attack in Zambia today.”
Thats PF for Zambians!!
Mr. Henry Banda cannot have it both ways and procedures regardless of how politically motivated a case might be. So far he has not presented himself for a formal charge like all other Zambians do and required by law. The MMD deregistration is a different issue all together and so is Dora Siliya. It would be prudent to present himself first before we can question the police. So far his lawyers are making political calls. Investigating wings have a prelogotive to share or not share with international institutions the outcome of their investingations. Probably most bloggers may not have travelled or lived outside, but most of these developmented nations have very stringent laws and every statutory law is observed and implelemented and worsened with terror laws.
Truth be told if I was Henry Banda I wouldn’t avail myself as well. You come here for questioning then they arrest on some flimsy case and are given bail. But then when you are on bail most likely the passport will be deposited in court and you won’t be allowed to travel out of Zambia. Now Henry’s main businesses are not in Zambia and he has residence in South Africa. Him being in Zambia for the next whatever years it take to dispose off the case means his livelihood is on halt. By the time the case is over he would be a destitute elo with legal fees he would be a pauper and whether he wins the case or not the intention would have been achieved! Squeeze him!!
@ SharpShooter, since u seem to be in agreement with what these lawyers have presented, tell me something…is President Michael Chilufya Sata MMD or PF? was President Sata responsible for MMDs welfare in terms of management of affairs in MMD? if so, who is to blame for the debt that is owed to the Registrar of Societies? & one last thing, what does the law say about defaulters?
Imwe ba Pixxy somethimes learnt to keep zii than spill nonsense . . .a real retard u a
Imwe ba Pixxy dont expose your idiocy here
do a research b 4 ask certain questions
@20 Pixxy
I don’t know which Sharp Shooter cos there is an impostor @7(sharpshooter).As regards the debt owed by MMD to the Registrar,the learned lawyers in LAZ gave guidance and made it clear that Andeleki was just acting out of excitement.The same observation was made by FITCH.
Andeleki was right except when he went further to ask for the sits to be nullified.
Sata is a hard core sadist whose happiness is to see human blood. We know who master-minded the panganisation of innocent lives in Lusaka’s Chawama Township. Having shared with him an elevator (lift) in Kwacha House when he was Minister Without Potofolio in FTJ’s Govt, my hair moved as waves of his cruelity engulfed me. The man is such a dealy snake eager to inflict harm to RB who democratically handed over power to him. Sata and his PF have been selectively targeting at RB, Dora Siliya, Maxwell Mwale (Eastern), Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwae, Kaingu, Liyato (Western), Namulambe (Copperbelt), George Kunda (Central), Guston Sichilima (Northern). In order to preserve Bemba dynasty, non of the opposition Bemba politicians are being harassed by Police, ACC & DEC. The writing on the walli clear.
Sata, investigate yourself and your family first before you can start arresting others. You are harassing RB’s family and former government officials to settle political scores. You’re trivializing this country. But I can’t blame you because you didn’t elect yourself. What a mistake Zambians made to elect such a government.
Those of you statting that Sata and PF are persecuting Banda are foolish. There’s a difference in witch-hunting and fighting corruption. You all know that, RB was/is involved in most dubious government deals under his reign…Zamtel is a good example. Open your eyes and ears. You don’t have to be a total ***** not to see what the Banda’s “business” connections and moves came about. Yes, these maybe be “allegations” but they are nonetheless, valid. In any event, Henry should NOT have been involved in any government business period. He was no civil servant, he was no minister…just the son of the president. For that reason alone, call it whatever you wish but the Bandas have to be investigated. If found not guilty, then good for them…life goes on!
he demand for freedom has become universal, and repression feels the need to camouflage itself.Dictators surround themselves with mediocrities and lackeys -that is to say, by men and women with little competence and integrity who maintain their positions though cunning, opportunism and boot-licking in relationship to the dictator. In relationship to the people, these stooges of the dictator become tyrants, who imitate as best as they can, the intolerant and despotic behaviour of the big boss.e.g Sakeni or Mwamba GB. Sata has no leadership skills, this criminal dictator must be stopped.
Sata’s government seems to have a lot of educated people. You just chose to pick on the minority.
Henry Banda be wise, stay in RSA until those who seek your life are dead.
Ba LT Moderator, why are you holding my comments hostage? Release my comment already, atase. Fyola (like a naija woman)
Infact his lawyer(Robert Amsterdam) summed it up on BBC today.He likened the justice system in Zambia right now to that of Russia when he was representing Mikhail Khordokosky.
Let us invite all South africans running away from Police to come and hide in Zambia. Revenge the Nigerian way. We managed to hide the ANC.
It is sharing a country with people who don’t want to reason with sense. Those guys stole and should be tried by the courts of law. Nothing strange chana! Dora, Rupiah, Henry, whoever should face the law whenever found wanting. Ma Rubbish.
I see the Bandas winning this fight aganist Sata coz they have international sympathy & more money in their pockets………….
I don’t see what the fuss is about — CLEARLY this “fight against corruption” is ALL politically motivated, and therein is lies the problem. If we have proper laws and respect of the law, we’d simply let ACC and DEC do their job, regardless of time and which political party is in power. But because we are a vendetta-driven country, and act on impulse, we will never see any true change.
SA won’t extradite Henry so easily — and don’t get me wrong … if he committed a crime, he should do the time. But a PROPER case needs to be raised against him. He is ready, lawyers and all, is GRZ ready … for anything?
The Best these lawyers can do is bring back Henry, otherwise the should enroll at ZIALE to be called to the bar in Zambia
@16, ****** we, Henry is a permanent resident and he is married to a South African. He can be South African if he wants to. I became a South African in 2000 together with my wife and my three children. Thanks God I did cos I cant see myself living under the leadership of Sata.
Why should the police charge Henry only if he returns to Zambia. You can charge and prosecute an absentee criminal then issue a warant of arrest. So Henry must go to Zambia to be questioned? Stupid Zambian police force. Why should Henry help to you build a case against him? He is not as stupid as you are. The fact that Interpol and your mission in South Africa have failed to help means you have no case against Henry. South Africa has human rights enshrined in its constitution and will never help you persecute any person living within the boundaries of its boarders. How do you even think of engaging the Department of International Relations you stupid Lubinda!!! This dept has better things to do like forging links with BRICS. Dont embarass yourself.
Apr23Nathan and Kirsten Super cute you three:)! It is so fun that you let us feel her move wow there is a real person in there that we can’t wait to meet.