Judge Lovemore Chikopa has arrived in readiness to start Tribunal sittings to probe the conduct of three suspended judges. Judge Chikopa arrived in Zambia last night aboard a South African Airline.Judge Chikopa is widely known in Malawi for delivering remarkable judgements.
When asked by Nyasa times about the assertions that he is too junior to head a tribunal which is tasked to probe a case involving two senior judges from the Zambian Supreme Court, Justice Chikopa laughed off saying for any judge no case is small or big because it is a matter of determining justice adding that he has enough experience and qualified expertise to competently handle the matter.
“The law will take its course in this matter based on natural justice. I will ensure that the wheels of justice will move in a just manner,” said Justice Chikopa.
But Justice Chikopa was quick to say that heading the Zambian tribunal is a challenge that he is not taking lightly emphasizing that he will approach it with respect, integrity and its due gravity.
“I am not looking at it as a personal achievement, rather it is national duty. This is not about me as an individual it is about my country Malawi and a lot of other stakeholders. I am proud that the Zambian government has invested its trust into the Malawi Judiciary.
“I will do the best of my ability to face the challenge and to prove those who think otherwise about Malawian Judges. All the Zambian government is asking is justice and I on behalf of the Malawi Judiciary will administer justice with due impartiality. This means that the Malawian Judiciary is doing something commendable in this part of Africa,” said Justice Chikopa.
He added: “I’m also happy and proud that President Sata and his government have confidence in my professional aptitude. This is great for our country,but it must also be noted that Malawian Judges are professional and over the years have done tremendous job in other countries within the continent and beyond.”
President Michael Sata on April 30 suspended three judges and constituted a tribunal to investigate alleged corrupt activities in the Judiciary
Judge Chikopa will be assisted in the case by retired judges Naboth Mwanza and Thomas Ndhlovu.
The three are Supreme Court Judge, Philip Musonda, and two High court Judges, Charles Kajimanga and Nigel Mutuna who would remain suspended pending recommendations of the tribunal.
According to the terms and reference on Justice Mutuna, the tribunal would inquire into his conduct in relation to the manner in which he presided over hearing and determination of the case of Development Bank of Zambia versus Post Newspaper limited, JCN Holdings limited and Mutembo Nchito.
The tribunal would specifically inquire into charges that Justice Mutuna misbehaved or acted incompetently when he proceeded to hear and determine the matter without a formal order transferring the matter from Justice Albert Mark Wood before whom the matter had been heard.
It is alleged that Justice Mutuna misbehaved or acted incompetently when he proceeded to hear and determine the matter in total disregard of evidence available to him that clearly demonstrated that Justice Wood’s independence as a Judge had been interfered with in the course of proceedings relating to the matter.
Justice Mutuna allegedly misbehaved or could have acted incompetently in the circumstance of the matter when he proceeded to deliver judgment in a matter in which the plaintiff had expressly indicated that it no longer intended to proceed with matter as a result of which it filed a notice of discontinuance.
On Justice Musonda and Justice Kajimanga, the tribunal would inquire into their relation in the matter in which they interfered in and illegally retrieved or caused the retrieval of cases of Development Bank of Zambia versus the Post Newspaper limited, JCN Holdings and Mutembo Nchito and Finsbury Investment limited versus Antonio Vetriglia and Manuela Sebastiani Vetriglia the matter from Justice Wood.
Justice Musonda and Justice Kajimanga allegedly misbehaved or acted incompetently when whilst acting together they conspired to pervert the course of justice by retrieving or causing the retrieval of records relating to matters from Justice Wood during the due execution of his judicial functions as Judge of the High Court of Zambia.
The tribunal is expected to give recommendations President Sata within a period of two months or such other period as the tribunal would reasonably recommend.
Why do Zambian professional women posture the way the protocol is posturing in the photo? Look at her mouth and she is also all faces down.
This is not good for any profession. We need to educate our professionals to be decently self-assertive. Look the people and the camera in the eye lady!
Judge your fellow Judges
What a sweet little boy. The last photo of him siinttg on his bike is my favourite and the one of him on the bed.. Too beautiful Lovely pics =)
When kaponyas have confidence in you, you should start examining yourself
Chikopa: ”I am proud that the Zambian government has invested its trust into the Malawi Judiciary”
So, by implication, the Zambian Gvt has no trust in the Zambian Judiciary!!
”I am not looking at it as a personal achievement, rather it is national duty. This is not about me as an individual it is about my country Malawi and a lot of other stakeholders”
Yes, you become biased and that is the end of your carrer. The case is straight forward: Some pipo borrowed money, they dont want to pay it back, when the case is taken to court, they elect the Judge to preside over it, when that judge is removed, they cry, a new judge (s) is appointed and rules according to ‘natural justice’ you claim to know more about and decides the money be paid back. They refused, hence you.
Bonse nachitukalipa. The chaps borrow the money from a govt institution, then they start harassing Judges. Nakwaba……..
Naku nvela nsoni anso!
Tiozaona choncho nkani pa National Geographic
Albert Wood’s name is dead and burried
No.1 GUNDIX
I think thats an unfair statement. It wasnt like they posed for this photo. They were on the way to a waiting car. I am sure this picture was taken by one of the many paparazzi on the scene. You cant be looking straight at each one of them. When do you do your own stuff?
No1: thats unfair statement, i pray that satan will deliver u 4rom yo sin, however even the same should do something about her face next time when vipz visit Zambia.
No1: thats unfair statement, i pray that satan will deliver u 4rom yo sin, however even the same woman should do something about her face next time when vipz visit Zambia.
#1 You must be sick in the head! Judge Lovemore, can them mudala.
If you have never experienced the “wrath of the judicial system in Zambia” you can condemn our grade 7 constable officer Miko Satana wamuyaya. People have died because of depression due to wicked judgements; properties grabed; wives grabed; and all they do is show that they are the best profession in Zambia. The rest, you are nothing. Sometimes its better to reflect and see why people are saying judiciary has been rotten for years and years. Even late George Kunda; he pushed hard when Mwanawasa was alive, only to turn back 395 degrees backward!! And you call that professionalism? its like me designing and building a bridge over Luapula river, strongly enough till the opening ceremony then it collapses killing all ministers, president and the rest. would I retain my practicing licence?
Where did you read that Micheal Sata was a grade 7. And he was a police officer in the federal government when chiluba was a bus conductor and it was a priviledge even to be accepted for it was basically a white police force. All of a sudden, a female medical doctor just falls for what you claim is a grade 7. Get real ***** for the president has got even a degree and he is not a grade 7 punky ass because to get into a degree program, now, one has to have not less than a secondary (which you call high school) certificate. Be careful what you wish for, for Micheal Sata is nobody’s fool. My advice, do your research and get your facts.
Iwe chi No 1. Where do you come from with such bad manners. Too much chamba in the head. I blame the people who brought you up. Period!
Chikopa in malawi means skin, hope his skin is tough enough not to allow corrupt satan to influence his decisions on the matter at hand.
wasting tax payers money on a straight forward case. mmembe must pay back the 14 billion. these are simple descions. sata must be a grade 7 indeed who cannot make descions on his own unless with tribunals all the time. how can you run a country on tribunal all the time. onmly in zambia where you find this crap world over.
the zed judicial system is rotten.my aunt was married in 1977 and my late grandpal asked 4 five cows as a dowry.my uncle relocated in 1998 and went to his ex-bro in law to claim the cows,he got them and gave 1 to his dad,1 to his sister and 3 for himself.his animals by 2011 were 21.but last year my aunt went to court claiming all the cows and the court ruled in her favour-very strange.how can one claim her own dowry as her property?and she is not the only child as (6).the other siblings advised my uncle to let her,but when she came to pick up the cows ,her pastor warned her not to get all but leave some to her brother who laboured them for 15 years,thank pastor,my uncle remained with 6 calves.so what type of system is this?
Your complaint is about customary law. We have 73 such customary law systems. Take your pick. If your uncle divorced your aunt then he had no right to get back his cows. Unless he bribed his ex-bro-in-law. Lobola is only returned if the wife divorces/rejects the husband. That is the way it would work in a patrilineal system.
Lovemore Kikopa was Sata’s lawyer when he was deported from Malawi. Now Chikopa tells the Grapevine that he was not paid for the services. It was therefore agreed that the payment Chikopa will get from this tribunal will cover the services he rendered then.
Breaking News please provide the evidence of your assertions.You can not start fabricating lies all in the name of seeking political mileage or just because you do not like the current head of state.
The Tribunal sitting will be very interesting for us and so please stop making lies about this tribunal.Are you telling me that President Michael Sata did not have money to pay for Legal services when he was in the opposition? Michael Chilufya Sata been in business since the colonial times,Unip and MMD eras and so has worked enough to accumulate money to pay for a Lawyer.Let you arguments be truthful do not misled us.
BREAKING NEWS you have half baked info! Sata’s Lawyer in Malawi is the current Minister of Justice and Attorney General. He was recently appointed by president Joyce Banda.
@dollar, please spare us your psychophancy. Sata was not in business during the colonial times. He was a sellout. A policeman. After independence he became zambia’s first nyamazai export to the UK. Victoria station was his area of operations.
@Rod, you a a liar man. I don’t know how old you where in the 60’s or 70’s, because there was more emphasisy on academic qualifications than it’s now. It was actually a priviledge to be a policeman in a federal police force,which was mostly whites and it meant Micheal Sata had qualifications even better than Chiluba did, hence the later opting to become a bus conductor. The man has even a degree when imwe bakaboke bonse where hoping he would be disqualified on that basis. Dr Kaunda and Sata’s young friend Col Panji Kaunda are still alive. Why don’t you ask them instead of vomiting unsubstantiated puke!