Thursday, March 28, 2024

Judges are not immune to scrutiny – Malila

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Attoney General Mumba Malila

Attorney General Mumba Malila says gone is the era when Judges were above scrutiny.

Speaking when he officiated at the Law Association of Zambia Conference in Livingstone today, Mr Malila says the present era demands that the doings of the Judiciary should be publicly scrutinized and discussed almost as frequently and with as much venom as those of politicians.

Mr Malila says for judicial independence to be meaningfully nurtured and protected by all, it must be counter-balanced by judicial accountability.

He adds that judicial independence does not mean Judges are an elitist group, untouchables, and not subject to accountability.

He says to the contrary judicial independence is also about transparency and accountability.

Mr Malila further states that judicial institutional accountability requires that the judiciary is held in high esteem by the public.

He says this respect cannot be demanded but must be earned.

The Attorney General also reminded Lawyers that they have an obligation not only to protect judicial independence, but also to ensure that the public understands, respects and supports the principles.

He adds that Lawyers should not relent in letting the general public know that courts exist to serve their justice needs, and assure them that a strong independent and accountable judiciary is for their own good.

QFM

34 COMMENTS

  1. He sounded like he had an example in mind where a judge errored.

    Could be when mmembe was told to pay the 14 billion he owes by a Judge?

    And suddnely judges are bad,Mr Maliaa, arent they?

  2. Well neither is the DPP immune to past offenses committed and no case involving the stealing of public money by the DPP should be immune to prosecution and subjected to the withdrawal from the courts of law and then turn the spotlight on our judiciary, just because they passed a judgment against a leader of some tabloid paper full of gutter journalism.

    DBZ money should be paid back whether case was withdrawn or not.

    I hope you have not drunk Mmembe’s cool Aide, sir

  3. Most of these mmd judges are very corrupt and they need to be retired in national interest.de judiciary was highly compromised by chi rupiar banda.I hate that shameless oldman without morals.as old as he is undressing before thandiwe chipuba sana

  4. et tu brutus? Mumba Malila OMG! What are you saying? So you truly are part of the Bwinjimfumu mafia – the high priests of kleptocracy hiding behing a very corrupt corruption crusade! Dont worry we are coming after you too since you are indirectly putting yourself in the line of fire. Zambians may appear docile but my friend I know something about them, when they do react its extreme and severe! You and your little posse must watch out!

  5. Maybe Zambia should take a leaf from other countries and do a radical surgery of the judiciary.Yesterday i read on BBC news how four senior judges in kenya were declared unfit for office and dismissed.This landmark ruling was carried by a vetting panel of local and foreign legal experts investigating the impartiality of the courts.This vetting panel had foreign judges included to ensure its impartiality and to restore confidence in the judiciary.

  6. Allergic to corruption, my foot! Just tell your friends to back the money. Criminals stop speaking in parables we have enough of those in the bible!

  7. Below is a forum for corruption

    You are Invited… – Saturday April 28th, 2012
    Meet Former President Banda 2pm-4pm African Presidential Center, Boston University, 141 Bay State Road Boston, MA 02215

  8. Someone has become too powerful to the extent that everyone is ready to lick his boots and wipe his armpit I didnt know that some lawyers can sink so low that they cant see beyond their noses.

  9. Please show us the BDZ letter where withdrawal of the case is spelt. It will be a very interesting read especially when it the reasons are tabulated. I suspect the following reasons

    1. We dont need the money anymore, since kwacha has been debased

    2. Infact we did not actually give the money out

    3.He already paid, sorry we forgot to tell the nation

  10. Fred the pest and mutembo pay back the money. No wonder we had the screaming headline in the pest ‘wow mutembo is dpp’! These crooks thought they would get away with public money. Mutembo if he has any morals at all should step down. That rubbish about him saying he was leaving a lucrative private law practice was just that….rubbish. Shameless hypocrites! Allergic to corruption my foot! Masholi!

  11. Sounds like this speech was written by M`membe and Nchito. If Malilila wrote the speech then the guy has very low IQ.

  12. Wish Rodgers Chongwe made those comments as he stands tall among the lawyers. Most lawyers in Zambia including Malila himself are a disgrace to the legal profession. The Zambian people have lost confidence in lawyers and some judges who are lawyers as well. Their shame and greed has turnished the image of judicial system in Zambia because of their conduct. Mwenya Musonda recent past LAZ president was a PF cadre seen from his conduct whilst at LAZ. To day has been rewarded by PF govt and others such as Malila. Who can waste their respect on such Zambians?. Let credible lawyers advise up coming lawyers.

  13. Malila sounds as if he is preparing the ground to erode the judicial system before he is booted from the his position. If indeed Malila wants to project some air of him being a learned scholar, he should cast his net wider and beyond the bounds of his current office. He must realise that most Zambian Judges have been subjected to an array of insults by the current PF Govt to which Malila is a beneficiary through crookery. He must pick a leaf from the late George Kunda who gave a wise advise to PF beneficiaries that, for now, Sata is fully protected under Presidential immunity; but his Ministers plus Malila, Mmembe, Nchitu, Mwenye, will find themselves exposed to vicious scrutiny by the new Govt in the event of Sata’s eventual political and biological demise. Malila must sober up.

  14. Malila is all out to erode the judicial system before he is booted from the his position. If indeed Malila wants to project some air of him being a learned scholar, he should cast his net wide and beyond the bounds of his current office. He must realise that most Zambian Judges have been subjected to an array of insults by the current PF Govt to which Malila is a beneficiary through crookery. He must pick a leaf from the late George Kunda who gave a wise advise to PF beneficiaries that, for now, Sata is fully protected under Presidential immunity; but his Ministers plus Malila, Mmembe, Nchitu, Mwenye, will find themselves exposed to vicious scrutiny by the new Govt in the event of Sata’s eventual political and biological demise. Malila must sober up.

  15. What Malila is saying is true. It is very right for judges to be open to scrutiny by the one and only Membe and Nchito and anyone who happens to be Bemba. 

  16. Now the PF is targeting to reform the Justice system in the nation. All this govt whats is to have Bwalyas, Mulengas, Mmembe’s preferred judges to take over then this nation will be finished. Mmembe and his family will be discuss the cases at home or in his office with the judges only to go to court for show. How can Malila issue such a statement though there is not appear process in the nation should a judge error in passing judgement. Mmembe just pay back what you got from ZDB period.

  17. I agree with you Malila, on condition that the same scrutiny is extended to that crook of a DPP! You chaps think you’ll rule us forever; rest assured you’ll pay for your sins while Sata will either be dead or enjoying his immunity.

  18. Good say Sir, But we want to know the following;

    Who signed the write off debt for Mmembe at DBZ?????? i miss levy when it comes real fight for corruption.

  19. Malialia is pathetic.  So judges should be torn apart in public like politicians?  How can this type of nonsense come from a supposedly “senior lawyer”?  Court judgements can be appealed but political decisions are never appealed.  At best one has to wait 5 years before punishing Ukwa and his bunch of id!ots at the next elections.

  20. Mumba Malila the Lenje man who got the AG job from Uncle Mwanawasa is an asshole.
    Please enjoy the stolen K14 Billion quietly. We are not fools mother father

  21. Why can Mumba malila be honest with himself? Judge Nigel Mutuna is the only incorruptible judge we have in Zambia. Speaking in parables about him will not wish away the K14billion the DPP and memmbe owe zambians. Malila should convince nchito to resign on moral grounds

  22. Zambians should protect the independence of the judiciary. There is a reason why there are three wings of government. One important reason is that if one of them fails, the other two can compensate. Currently the executive looks compromised by cadres and relatives. An independent judiciary will offer Zambians a safety net.

  23. Hao ni majangili wa ki Bemba ndio wanajiona wako bora zaidi kuliko wenine.Trigo na Sata wako kwa kundi hilo na ni wajinga,mavi ya kuku na warudishwe kwao DRC sababu Zambia ni nchi ya walozi,Tonga.Tuweke rais mLozi.

  24. Dont comment from a position of ignorance. Read malila’s speech first. Those of us that heard him deliver it think he was general and balanced. He said the judiciary should not think they cannot be criticized. The lawyers must also respect the judges and protect the independence of the judiciary. In fact Prof Ndulo presented a well research paper in which he made the same call

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