Amnesty International has charged that the contempt of court charges against human rights activist Gregory Chifire are a total fabrication.
In a statement, Amnesty International stated that the prosecution of Mr Chifire make a mockery of justice and must be dropped immediately.
Mr. Chifire’s verdict and sentencing are due to be delivered on Friday, 23 November following what the organization says is a grossly unfair trial on four trumped-up contempt of court charges.
“This trial is an affront to the right to freedom of expression. Gregory Chifire’s only ‘crime’ has been to ask the Zambian judiciary to ensure accountability within its ranks,” said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for Southern Africa.
The four contempt of court charges against Chifire, the director of the Southern Africa Network Against Corruption (SANAC), emanate from his questioning of a Supreme Court judgement handed down in March 2018 involving two large corporations.
The case involved a local bank, Stanbic, referring a local company, Savenda, to a credit bureau for blacklisting on allegations that it defaulted on a loan repayment.
In a letter to Zambia’s chief justice, Gregory Chifire described the judgment as having “omitted very crucial evidence” that formed the basis for the awarding of damages to Savenda and asked for the judges suspected to be responsible to be investigated.
He was summoned to appear in court on 17 July and later faced an unfair trial.
The hearing of his case was concluded on 19 September.
“The Zambian authorities should be supporting the free exercise of the right to freedom of expression, not suppressing it. Gregory’s case smacks of censorship and victimization, designed to silence his activism work,” said Deprose Muchena.
People who have contempt for the courts deserve exactly this. Let him be jailed. They should have respect for the courst. In fact jail (HH), his nephew Lloyd and HaGay Jay Clayson Hamasaka. Jail Mukuni for messing up the bungee rope. Cholera season has started
“The Zambian authorities should be supporting the free exercise of the right to freedom of expression, not suppressing it. Gregory’s case smacks of censorship and victimization, designed to silence his activism work,” said Deprose Muchena.
Mr Diprosone, you can achieve that freedom of expression without contempt of our judges.
With comments like yours, I just see another Bonehead eating with both hands!!! Your children and your children’s children and their children, will for many many years be paying for your Bonehead mentality. Unfortunately, so too will our children pay for your errors of today. My advice is, ‘Just Cool Down’ and start thinking sensibly before you open your tribal insulting mouth!!!
Excuse the small silly boy he does not know what he is typing about…these are people who stumbled on internet yesterday, they are merely joyriders teens driving stolen cars from A to B without care of traffic rules. All they do here is parrot the same thing everyday , some of them even have templates of what to post everyday if it not their Hakainde, its tribalism …what can you expect from a chap raised in massage parlour….no etiquette, no class, no manners, no vision.
Necrophiliacs like you should be kept in cage
When did AI start dictating to the Zambian Judiciary?? Donald Trump was insulting ICC judges and I didn’t hear any noise from AI??
Exactly when did Amnesty International become part of the judiciary in Zambia? I the charges are trumped up then the prosecution with have problems producing evidence in a court of law. It’s not up to Amnesty International to dictate who should be tried and who shouldn’t.
Did you not read about Amnesty International condemning Trump in the States? Use google you will find it…why should Judges be above the law? There was malpractice there…
CITIZENSHIP
Amnesty International Blasts Trump, Putin, Duterte, and Others for Human Rights Abuses
Amnesty International’s State of the World’s Human Rights report analyzes 159 countries.
Reflecting on a year of horrifying civil war, devastating refugee crises, and regressive policies designed to persecute immigrants, Amnesty International strongly condemned an array of world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, in its latest State of the World’s Human Rights report.
plaese then to research b4 u yapyapa u r just a dull chap, i think.
Amnesty International risks loosing credibility. This is not a case of PF Government vs Chifire. This is a contempt case and even in the US or UK you would be in trouble for this.
What constitute an unfair trial. Did the expensive lawyers they hired for Chifire prevented to enter Zambia. AI needs to be seriously. There are genuine cases in Zambia they they can champion. In future, even if they defend genuine cases, people wont take them seriously.. Put the facts before us and lets judge if the charges are fabricated. Was Bishop John Mambo also part of this?
Am disappointed to say the least
Lose credibility to whom? So what do you suggest Chifire did he wrote to Chief Justice and he is being punished …in Kenya Deputy Chief Justice was arrested in court for alleged corruption, in Zambia that is impossible issues just disappear. Look at former ZAF General he was simply relieved without a word, no one came out and stated why? Only ZWD filled in the blanks and he is out there enjoying his full benefits.
Amnesty should come in after conviction
Tomorrow its politicians that will say police and judiciar are comprised
We had a case where somebody published and broadcasted lies that caused unrest. Sensing he had no defence he negotiated for a meeting , urgent meeting at night so that someone can interfere
After he was spared he arrogantly says no one can stop him talking
Am a non partisan political consultant
You are biased !mbecile
Ever since Amnesty International fell into the hands of these uncultured Julius Malema type of africans, it has lost relevance. It is a shameful shadow of itself.
Is Amnesty Internationio suggesting that our Constitution is fabricated? And I have not heard them say anything about the millions of issues that South Africa has to grapple with, including the recent xenophobic suggestions by some politicians that migrants are are putting pressure on that country’s health facilities and must be curtailed.
@upnd cadre you should be ashamed of yourself for calling Julius Malema uncultured. Are you pro-Afrikan or you are just pro-corruption? Do you even understand what Pan-Afrikanism is about? Just restrict yourself to Zambian politics of corruption if you are not well-researched. Everyday I browse comments & never add mine but today your ignorance forced me to comment. There is currently no politician in Zambia who can be mentioned in the same breadth with Julius, he is a true son of Afrika. Zambian politicians no nothing about Pan-Afrikanism & if they do, they’ve betrayed its tenets. No wonder I can never waste my vote on any of them. Please, next time don’t display such ignorance in public.
UPND Cadre you don’t understand Malema so don’t talk about what you don’t know. Malema is young but he is the only pan African focused politician in South Africa. The rest including the ANC think like the white parties that ruled them, that Africa is far from South Africa.
However, The health minister didn’t say we must chase foreigners he just said they were burdening the health system and that’s a fact. The whole of Zimbabwe is in South Africa and it wasn’t budgetted for. Zanupf should start repairing Zimbabwe quickly so that citizens can use what they pay their tax for like local hospitals
Delivering a three hour judgment, Magistrate Benjamin Mwelwa described Muwowo’s act of having sex with an 11-year-old girl as shameful and disgusting.
“It is disgusting that you undressed and had sex with an 11-year-old girl.
“Your act was shameful because there are a lot of women out there, who charge for sex, but you opted to have sex with this little girl,” he said.
Magistrate Mwelwa said it was sad that Muwowo earlier took the girl to a bar and bought her two bottles of Castle lager.
He said it is clear that Muwowo had sex with the girl although he had taken precaution against impregnating her.
Delivering a three hour judgment, Magistrate Benjamin Mwelwa described Muwowo’s act of having sex with an 11-year-old girl as shameful and disgusting.
“It is disgusting that you undressed and had sex with an 11-year-old girl.
“Your act was shameful because there are a lot of women out there, who charge for sex, but you opted to have sex with this little girl,” he said.
Magistrate Mwelwa said it was sad that Muwowo earlier took the girl to a bar and bought her two bottles of Castle lager.
He said it is clear that Muwowo had sex with the girl although he had taken precaution against impregnating her.
Iwe with your crazy name tell This magistrate he has no focus. His jurisdiction is poor. Zambia hasn’t legalized prostitution so he should not be advising people to do illegal stuff.
But MorhaMAD the chief Terrorist married Aisha when she was 6years old and had sex with her at 9.
The problem with judges in Zambia is that, only they think are above the law and should not be kept in check. Am not in support with what Chifire did, the question is who is going to make sure that citizens get fair judgments even when there has been some complaints of bias? Look at the concourt today, they seem to overturn almost even judgment that the high court has made. To make matters worse these are appointees of the president, how do we expect them to do otherwise? Even the upcoming eligibility case is decided already, the rest is judicial circus laced with a comedy of errors.
Law is not rocket science. Take time to read contents of judgements and understand where each judgement anchors on. These days high court and supreme court judgements are their on line. Before criticising Judges and judgements read for yourselves to see the evidence upon which each judgement is passed.
If president Edgar Lungu will not be allowed to stand in 2021 then HH stands a big chance to become the president of the republic, but Zambians cant allow a selfish person like HH to be the president. The 6.5 PF province support will then rally behind Felix Mutati of MMD.
MMD will bounce to power in 2021
CHWE CHWE CHWE CHWE!!!!
Wishful thinking
Just go and read what that boy Munir posted…
If Zambian judges behave like this then I’m convinced their colonial wigs have mentally colonised them. They are behaving like the coloniser who was so arrogant he did n’t want to be criticised. This is now a democracy and judges should learn to accept scrutiny of their behavior professional or private. All of us including Chifire have a right to point out any citizen’s shortcomings The only way to avoid being criticised nowadays is not to be a judge or a politician or a journalist. As long as you are in the public stage expect criticism
Is Kudo an human being of an animal? I have never read something constructive in his arguments and he or she sounds to be of no tribe. He/she must go and dream about bitter tribalism in the forests of Ituri with Baboons.
This thing called Amnesty International is only made for Zambia? Saudi Arabia killed a man in cold blood and cut him into pieces while Donald Trump has given subtle instructions to the army to kill those crossing into USA from Central America. ..and AI have never said anything about this. Oh no they can’t bite the fingers that fund them. Besides it’s an offense to discuss matters that are before a court of law. So this another contempt case.
Chifire appealed to Amnesty International to intervene.
Unfortunately our courts are independent.
He has nowhere to turn to ….who do you want him to appeal to the Chief Justice? If the CJ is also compromised there is nowhere for citizens to turn to.
Amnesty International should have hired a lawyer to defend Gregory since they have a better legal understanding of ‘trumped up charges”
When you speak the true, you dont need help from some fake NGOs.
Let him defend himself, he has facts…
#6.1 Andulu, ashamed of myself over Malema?
#6.2 Zima Pundu Lana, I don’t understand Malema? Malema a pan Africanist?
Of course I know and understand what and who I am talking about. If he dupes you that is your problem. For a long time I have keenly followed the politics of southern african region and its politicians including Malema from his Young Wing days in the ANC. I know what I am talking about confidently. Try to give your so called “pan africanist” power and you will then understand how ignorant you are. Malema a pan Africanist, my foot!! It is you who must shut up for such massive ignorance.
…..When you shut up and reflect, tell me about the nonsen.se that Amnesty Internation southern africa is spewing about Zambia. Looks like Mr Muchena has made Zambia his focus for usually baseless criticism. Have you heard Amnesty Zambia chapter comment on the case of the two companies or on Chifire?