The Supreme Court has meted out one of the longest contempt of court sentence in the history of the country.
The court has sentenced Anti-corruption Activist Gregory Chifire to six years simple imprisonment after convicting him of contempt of court following his contemptuous remarks on Chief Justice Ireen Mambilima and the judiciary.
Mr. Chifire who is also Director of Southern Africa Network Against Corruption-SANAC- was cited for contempt of court for his disparaging remarks on Justice Mambilima and the Judiciary after the disposal of the Stanbic Bank Verses Savenda Case.
He was charged with four counts of contempt of court.
Mr. Chifire in his remarks published on the Online Publication “Watch Dog ” on June 23, 2018 was quoted as having said “Justice Mambilima is presiding over the most corrupt judiciary in the history of post independent Zambia “.
Mr. Chifire was also quoted as having said he had planned a demonstration because of his and other peoples’ misgivings on the judgement of the Stanbic Bank Verses Savenda Case.
In the Savenda’s Case the Supreme Court and the Appeals Court reversed the Lusaka High Court’s Judgment compelled Stanbic Bank to pay 192 Million 500 thousand Kwacha damages to Savenda Management Services Limited.
Before convicting Mr. Chifire, the Supreme Court observed that un-substantiated disparaging remarks against the judiciary brings the administration of justice into disrepute.
Deputy Chief Justice Marvin Mwanamwambwa, Supreme Court Judges Evans Hamaundu, Mumba Malila, and Rhoda Kaoma presided over the judgment.
He desarve it
Wow… 6 years!!?
Are those judges Christians, who should forgive? That’s satanic punishment.
Galu Watchers in Zambia, the cynical tribal FAKE NEWS in Zambia from the cynical MUTINTA supporters.
It’s time…next is HaHa
We shall see what judgement will be given to Chanoda Ngwira
Ninshi vamene name weluza my fella vinababa maningi aba ba mayi mambilima. That’s the power of the tongue, it has shaken up the judiciary they now have to instill fear in everyone never to say or raise any concern about them.
Hichilema can never be touched because he has money. Courts punish those without money in Zambia. Until the rich begin to be treated equally with us poor people, I dont believe the Zambian courts were meant to deliver justice without being selective.
Very sad, this is why I keep saying the justice system in Zambia is in need of reform. In which modern democracy will you find that kind of sentence? These judges are they sadists? If at all you find him guilty would it not be better for society to simply put him on community service whereby he will clean your streets and your markets rather than condemning the poor chap to a concentration camp where he might catch TB and other communicable diseases? What will happen to his family? No this is not right may God above one day in this life or the next deal harshly with those oppressing the masses.
Everyone knows zambia’s judiciary is rotten & urgently needs an overhaul. A change of govt needs to set up a commission of enquiry starting with the under-qualified, corrupt kangaroo court called Concourt down to local courts.
In this contempt case, supreme court cannot be judge, jury & executioner. Chifire’s lawyers licenses have also bn cancelled & Chifire has since fled into exile, till there’s a change of govt.
ONE DOWN
Only the likes of double h can disparage the courts and go scotch free. Chifire is being made to serve as an example. Respect our courts. What did CK said on the courts again?
Let this be a lesson to all the nincompoops.
Let’s roll …
Taking us back to medieval levels.
This is what Zambia has come to. The judges who are supposed to uphold freedom of speech are the ones stifling it. Freedom of speech is just that–freedom of speaking without fear that one will be sent to prison for voicing their opinion. It’s a human right, protected internationally by documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Only totalitarian States forbid their citizens from criticizing them. You can’t send someone to prison for voicing their opinion and still claim that Zambia is a democratic country. Contempt of court is when a Zambian judge ordered that Tendai Biti not be sent back to Zimbabwe, then Lungu’ s friends ignored the judge’s order and sent him back to Zimbabwe anyway…
… That’s contempt of court. Has anyone been prosecuted for that? Most likely not. But a patriotic Zambian who calls out corruption is quickly sent to prison. Is this law applied selectively? Are we not all equal under the law? This is a miscarriage of justice. Zambia is currently not a democracy but a totalitarian State. What a shame.
Yaba oh Yaba … look at @Lie Detecter here!!! Misconstruing Freedom of Speech. Freedom of speech does not involve denigrating the Chief Justice without proof of ones clsims!!!
Give me a break … And Heaven help us all!!!
Yaba oh Yaba … look at @Lie Detector here!!! Misconstruing Freedom of Speech. Freedom of speech does not involve denigrating the Chief Justice without proof of ones claims, baba!!!
Give me a break … are these supposed to be intellectuals among the smart people of the Zambian Enterprise???
We are in maningi trooooouble, as Dennis Liwewe used to say!!!
And Heaven help us all!!!
Lungu you usually pardon General Kanene Here is a chance to show us how food you are. Pardon Chifire
How good you are. How genuinely good you are
There is no true separation of power in Zambia. Lungu and co are using the courts the same way Idi Amin used his army. And some are talking about “let’s roll”. History will not be kind to this government.
How do you sentence someone to 6 years in jail for simply having an opinion? He felt that the judges are corrupt and don’t have an independent mind and you send him to jail like a robber? This is ridiculous!
Ba Mambilima, another here @ Mwana Chinondo, arrest him are send him to jail for 6 years.
Contempt of court is an offence commit one and you will see.how many people have cried over the same. Careful what you comment on.in Zambia we have laws but people want to break it with impunity and expect simpathy.
When a serious regime comes into power, I foresee an endless queue before the same Courts that are miscarrying justice, the only difference is that the defendants will be the same ones abusing their perceived unlimited power as well as all the thieves and corrupt masquerades. I can’t wait to see how the self exalted will be humbled ninshi no tuma $ nabapoka.
This wild corruption allegation without proof must come to an end forthwith.
Except for the money that is in PANAMA because Paradise Papers have proof and I have proof that he did INSIDE TRADING and he is a THIEF.
Most of us Zambians are so naive and innocent
This is a good ruling.
Wawona wanyara!!
I am waiting for the little one. It plays in the circus Ha-lot.
Ba Nervas must be thanking God. Don’t play with the law. How is Bishop Mambo doing?
Only in Zambia…thiieves incharge!!
HH the thief is in CHARGE in Namwala, you Ha right.
Good, and I don’t think African International Amnesty (AIA) did him any favour with their contemptuous remarks. Since the AIA is outside our judicial jurisdiction, give them 6 years too but lump it on Chifire their local representative. Yes I mean give Chifire ka 12 years=6 +6.
That should send a message to these prost.itutes pretending as human rights or anti corruption activists.
Judiciary, can you also check thoroughly if Trib.al Hacks or GBV has said anything contemptuous please.
I wish you knew what you are talking about
Let Amnesty something come to his aid. What about Bishop Mambo, how did he escape.
You judges yourselves are bringing the name of the judiciary into desrepute
Harsh, very harsh!!
I don’t like this guy chifire because of his behaviour during the time of MMD when he was one of the chief bootlickers who always defended their wrongs as a biased ngo but this sentence is just too harsh.
Zambia’s judicial system is a circus. Its meant for the less powerful like Chifire. Hichilema committed same offence and he is walking and his members continue to call Judges corrupt. Only the weakest like Chifire suffer the consequences while people with money are allowed to walk. judiciary is an animal farm.
Miscarriage of justice.
It is okay. It was not supposed to be conceived.
Who conceived this trolling parasitic h00ker should be sentenced to 6 years of hard anal
Hakainde can’t be cited for contempt so long he has money to get his way out. Unfortunately this is sad reality about justice in Zambia. The poor rot in prison while the rich are feared by judges
HH can’t be cited for contempt because what he said is true about those judges.
Kangaroo court the judiciary is captured by corruption
Prof. HANSONI you can write the UN under your University Paperhead.
He can appeal this sentence. This all shall be well. He needs to shut up and speak truth though.
He appeals to who? The supreme court is the highest court in the land.
To constitutional court
Nzelu, the fake intellectual has shown the “depth” (LoL) of his parasitic lineage. Are you by any chance related to sharon by any of your fathers?
Mamama……After 2021,there will be a massive cleanup of the Judiciary.
1000 containers of JIG will be needed.
To our brother and hero Cifire,you will be pardoned immediately after we kick out these crooks.
When is the Sick in the head P.F, Vuvuzela, ka Tayali getting his 6 years behind bars?
He can go & dance chikokoshi cha mu blanket with men in prison. That will keep his loose mouth shut, & his rear end always open at night.
Ka sharon should be next.
All ruling governments come to an end some day, & once this happens ka Sharon should be given this same “6 years V.I.P. treatment!
Chifire is in exile. They will not lay their dirty hands on him. Stop crying for him, cry for yourselves. This is a bad precedent and it is a bad stain on Zambian Judiciary.
The sanctions are on the way Zambia. You miscalculated this one.
How come here in Canada insults politicians and everyone, and yet nobody touches them. If it is Trump worse, he is been shouted everyday. Never jails any one. Even journalist can even answer back to Trump, no jail . Zambia, careful. Mail and Guidian will fight for Chifiri
I fail to understand our judicial system. Why do sentences differ yet the crime is the same? A person found guilty of stealing bread in shoprite gets 2 yrs with hard labor and the other found guilty of the same crime though committed in a neighborhood store may get 6 months with hard labor. Why the difference? Is sentencing based on how the presiding judge feels or do they look at historical sentences? There is so much unfairness in our judicial system.
Bamufutula chilumendo. Icipongwe this UPND carder pretended as Champion fimofimo. He will have a criminal record. finito
Six years! Just for contempt! *****ic court. Get those colonial white wigs off your heads you brainwashed pretenders to the white throne.
To the constitutional court Ala!
To the constitutional court of course !
P – Pathetic, F – fooools
People in Africa including the courts need to know that the fact that I fear you doesn’t mean I respect you. Ask the colonisers. We feared them but we despised them. That’s how we sent them parking
upnd cadre bishop Mambo next.
@ Zambian parasitic !mbecile
Your turn will also come
Is this the Zambia we need?
Lawrence Chanza Washington DC United States
This is Zambia we are “living” (LoL) since September 2011. Every new day is followed by darker night
During WW II, a man was arrested in London for calling Winston Churchill a fool.
The next day in the House of Commons, the opposition members were ready to roast the government for this. “Are we living in a police state”, they shouted, “where we cannot call the PM a fool”?
Churchill’s reply was truly disarming – “The man was not arrested for calling the Prime Minister a fool”, he said, “but for letting out a state secret at a time of war”.
During WW II, a man was arrested in London for calling Winston Churchill a fool.
The next day in the House of Commons, the opposition members were ready to roast the government for this. “Are we living in a police state”, they shouted, “where we cannot call the PM a f00l”?
Churchill’s reply was truly disarming – “The man was not arrested for calling the Prime Minister a f00l”, he said, “but for letting out a state secret at a time of war”…
The country is finishing slowly but surely and we are watching. This is NOT right. Harassing and instilling fear in the citizens will never be right on any given day. Also how can the same court be prosecutor, judge and jury at the same time. Justice Minister, wake up and stop this.
This is an evil, wicked sentence, The judiciary in Zambia is now officially a mockery. My respect for them is now gone out the window.
NEXT MARK SIMUWE FROM PRIME TV.APUSA NAE.
Zambia shall be saved. Fake judgement.
Freedom of speech is not the right to speak lies. Greg should have used the JCC as prescribed by the constitution but he rushed to ZWD and chose to disparage the CJ in public. Sad he’s been used as an example.
How is this contempt of court ? monkeys !!