The opposition PF is planning to write to international human rights bodies such as Amnesty International to highlight the plight of its former Secretary General Mumbi Phiri.
Mrs Phiri has spent close to six months at Mongu Remand Prison without trial.
She faces a murder charge which is not bailable.
Information has emerged that her case is yet to be cause listed which implies that she will be held without trial for a much prolonged period.
The PF says Mrs Phiri’s continued stay in prison without facing trial is unfair and an abuse of her human rights.
Former PF Secretary General Davies Mwila revealed in an interview that the party is resolved to have Mrs Phiri’s matter be heard globally.
“This people came in and told the world that they will respect human rights and the rule of law. We want the whole world to know that they are infact throwing political opponents in jail without trial. We will soon be writing to organisations like Amnesty International so that they can intervene in this gross human rights abuse that is going on in Zambia,” Mr Mwila said.
Mr. Phiri said the PF is now demanding that Mrs Phiri be released immediately unconditionally or be taken to court.
He added, “There is no justification for keeping Hon. Phiri in prison for this long without presenting her before a Judge. It’s immoral and unfair. If they know they have no evidence, let them release her immediately.
However, Minister of Justice Mulambo Haimbe has dispelled assertions that the delays to have Patriotic Front (PF)’s Deputy Secretary Mumbi Phiri’s matter come before the courts of law is mere vindictiveness on the part of government.
Mr. Haimbe says government has nothing to do with the judicial process adding that everything happening to the detained PF leader was within the law .
The minister in an interview last evening maintained that no one should assert that the official was being punished.
The law is very clear on procedures regarding such cases related to murder and thus it is important to understand the process.
“This matter has become topical but it is important to understand what is happening,’’ he said.
Mr. Haimbe said the country had different types of offences some of which were bailable and non- bailable.
He said the matter which the embattled PF Deputy Secretary General is facing is a capital offence which cannot be bailed.
He cited treason, murder and aggravated robbery as some of the offences that fall within this category.
Mrs. Phiri stands charged with a non bailable offence of murder contrary to section 200 of the Penal Code; chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.
Mr. Haimbe stated that according to his understanding, Mrs. Mumbi is charged with a capital offence and in places like Kaoma, there could probably be a number of similar cases.
For anyone who is facing a non bailable offence to appear before the High Court, there is a process that is followed called “Cause Listing.”’
“ The judiciary has a system where it lists cases and it follows that accordingly unless there were compelling circumstances no one can skip the queue,’’ he intoned.
Mr. Haimbe stated whenever one is committed to the high court, that offender has to wait for their turn and she has to wait for her turn when the case comes up for hearing.
“Mrs. Phiri found others who were waiting for trial and that she has to wait for her case to come up,” he stated.
Mr. Haimbe wondered why there should be complaints when President Hakainde Hichilema in 2017 had to wait for 127 days in prison for a case of treason before he could be heard.
“Much as one does not like the idea of waiting for that long, the criminal justice system does not look at faces but is the way it is,” he explained.
Really laughable indeed look at who is now scribbling letters to Amnesty International, the same organisation PF ignored for 10 years; Manic Street Preachers wrote the song ” If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next” its just one of the rules of nature. You want the world to stop because PF Queen thug Mumbi is in Remand, selfish politicans who only care about their own, I can bet you £100 there are women in that photo who have been in there longer that a year on the same charge awaiting court date. When the same Amnesty highlighted the injustice of the poor in Zambian prisons you ignored them today you are the same morons crybabying about injustice.
Mumbi phiri , the most violent and proactive woman in PF……….
She sometimes lead PF caders in violent attacks………….
She was at citi airport during the fracas involving mwaliteta ……….she was instrumental in locking him up for more than a year………….
She was very vocal about jailing HH gor treason …………..
She instructed lungus barber to pull the trigger……..
Let her wait her turn , others have been waiting before her………….
Why is Haimbe justifying incompetence? And what does he mean what is happening to Mumbi Phiri is within the law?
Mrs. Phiri stands charged with a non bailable offence of murder contrary to section 200 of the Penal Code; chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.
Mr. Haimbe stated that according to his understanding, Mrs. Mumbi is charged with a capital offence and in places like Kaoma, there could probably be a number of similar cases.
It is more PF incompetence that the judicial system is broken………
Mwaliteta told you how some youth from monze have been languishing in remand for 2 years charged with a murder lynching ………
Yet the theives claim to have spent billions on development, yet the prison system remains broken and overcrowded…..
The PF theives did not bother fixing the prisons because they thought it would be housing UPND………….
We hope UPND does not fix it in a hurry ,……..
And charge some with motor vehicle theft ………..let them rot in there
Tarino, within the law would be arrested,charged and taken to court within 48 hours, its been 180 days. How is that within the law? his explanation that it is a capital offence and in Kaoma ABC is an excuse, lets not tolerate this.
If there are lapses, address them. He is justifying the incompetence of his ministry right now with him finding excuses. Cause list, there are others, its always been like this, all these statements are an admission of failure and his lax attitude to this problem.
Justice ensures him trying to be just. The police were quick to make this arrest, they were certainly not ready, incompetence.
Chiza Chirwa – Yes there are lapses I hope they address them soon but not make expections now because Mumbi is in Remand…go to Lusaka Remand and see inmates who have been there for 2 years awaiting court date even people with immigration issues who just need deporting. Stop coming here crying like a toddler because its Mumbi we have been fighting this injustice before even PF formed govt.
Boss, my interest here isn’t PF or UPND, unlike you, I was home during August and I cast my vote for the UPND.
This is a high profile case, and we should take advantage of this to air our displeasure. If I pick a case of Joseph Phiri arrested in Chipata for murder who has been awaiting court appearance for one year, who will know what I am talking about?
We voted for change, and the speeches that are coming from Haimbe seem to suggest we should let things be because that’s how they have been, he is not making any effort to change things. Thankfully the Chief Justice is trying to make some changes.
Stand for justice sir, PF was a bad party yes, but let’s begin now to do things differently.
Those PF chaps who are going to Mongu taking food, clothes and lotion to Mumbi from Lusaka to Mongu using money they stole , also take enough for the other prisoners and the Guards and Guards’ familes…you neglected them for 10 years. Mumbi is the only one in that picture who looks like she is at least comfortable and well looked after.
It’s not our responsibility to take care of your f00Iish relatives in prison. Ask your president.
In the UK its now almost 10:00 in the morning, the UK based Impostor is now awake and has logged in.
There is a lot more to this story. Our sister Mumbi once denied HHs advances. Hh wanted to sleep with her but she refused. I have all the evidence. It is for this reason mumbi is being persecuted. There is a lot about hh womanising that many of you don’t know. Did you even know that hh has a daughter he keeps secret
Continue crying yourself to sleep over Mumbi…what goes around comes around like a boomerang!!
Mwaliteta told you how some youth from monze have been languishing in remand for 2 years charged with a murder lynching ………
Yet the theives claim to have spent billions on development, yet the prison system remains broken and overcrowded…..
The PF theives did not bother fixing the prisons because they thought it would be housing UPND………….
We hope UPND does not fix it in a hurry ,…
Next is Bowman on a murder charge…….
Mumbi looks beautiful in jail, and has grown fat. However,
No woman should be in any Zambian jail.
For the 10 years of PF rule , the PF were a very arrogant group , even their supporters on LT were extremely hateful and full of disdain for anyone who had opposition views……….
Tribal attacks and degererative insults against UPND and tongas were the main stay, cheering each other on……….
Evidence is there on LT archives…….
Most of the same ones are still on LT with changed names………….
Today they call some us hateful, after have a dose of their medication……..when they have been doing it for 10 years……..
Kulimba chabe bane, 2031 pa tali
Mumbi Phiri saw the person who pulled the trigger and committed the murder.
She knows that she is innocent but its hard to understand why she is protecting ECL’s barber.
ECL’s barberman is guilty and was being shielded from the law by the president and the PF state machinery.
Mumbi Phiri should just turn into a state witness and walk to her freedom.
@Kaizer Zulu, Mumbi Phiri should speak to her lawyers for being defamed. Kaizer is insinuating the Mumbi is a prostitute. Mumbi phiri was more likely to be screwed by Lungu than HH.
We will write to God through prayers in protest against PF’s extra judicial killings of numerous zambians in coold blood that included late Lawrence Banda
The moment this Minister opens his mouth, one would feel like vomiting. This is one of the worst evil Minister of Justice Africa has ever produced. Democratic norms do not exist in their hateful minds. However, the actions of such hard-core perpetrators of the persecution and torture of other humans entails preparing grounds on which Zambians will never again vote for any member of their ethnic group in the next 100 years.
Where’s Patricia Scotland who came running when HH was detained for treason charges? The women’s lobby group is vehemently quite over Mumbi Phiri’s trumped up murder charges. PF has even delayed to bring the prolonged detention to the attention of international Human Rights organizations.
HH and Mulambo Haimbe are hypocrites who apply the law selectively. Mumbi’s case is revenge being perpetrated by no other than HH. It shows weakness on BMW and the earlier he realises that he’s no longer in opposition the better for this country.
UPND is not responsible for the increases in fuel prices. International pressures have led to increases in fuel prices throughout the whole world. Therefore, defeated and bitter PF officials must stop lying. Lusambo and Mwila stop telling people lies about fuel increases. Even in Europe and USA, fuel increases keep on escalating and, it is more worse there than in Zambia. PF officials are losers and, please, accept that you have nothing to offer Zambians. Viva UPND and viva HH. Then, viva all Zambians.
Ha ha!, same organisation you called imperialist months ago whilst boasting ” Zambia is a sovereign nation”??
These tu P.F tudoyo have NO SHAME whatsoever.
It is sad MP is languishing in prison before her matter is heard… I do recall the case of a prominent person who was accused of killing his guard…the matter was heard fast forward … not sure what happened to the ’cause list’ at that time…he served time until ECL released him via clemency…he is a free man now
I am a strong UPND supporter but the truth is that Mumbi Phiri must be taken to court immediately. These are things we promised to change, no government official or minister must play a blind eye and say this is the work of the law enforcement agencies, that in itself is being irresponsible. We are coming from a very bad past where a ‘traffic offence’ was labelled treason, with a passenger, HH then, of a vehicle arrested for a traffic offence instead of the driver of the vehicle. Lets move away from this