A scandal is brewing in the Judiciary after information emerged that some top Judges were promised promotions if they delivered favourable judgments in politically sensitive cases.
Newly appointed Constitutional Court President Justice Margaret Munalulu, Justice Palan Mulonda, Magistrate Faides Hamaundu and Magistrate Martin Namushi are some of the Judges that had signed for the illegal scheme.
According to highly placed sources within the Judicial Services Commission, the Judges were promised to be promoted if they delivered Judgements in favour of President Hichilema and the UPND.
The sources who are not allowed to speak to Journalists and opted to remain anonymous because of security concerns said it is true that President Hichilema had a secret meeting with selected Judges and Chief Justice Mumba Malila last year where he made the promises.
“If you remember, the state quickly moved in and arrested Nakacinda (Rapheal) after he disclosed details of this meeting, well, the truth is that the meeting did take place and the state was going to be embarrassed if nothing was done to Rapheal after the revelation,” the sources said.
They revealed that Justices Munalula and Mulonda were singled out and asked to deliver favourable judgments in the Kabushi and Kwacha election petitions.
“So the President offered Justice Munalula and Palan (Mulonda) the ConCourt presidency and vice respectively. However, so far only Margaret has been awarded and this has left Palan very frustrated. He feels used and dumped and he is now telling all of us that that the Judgment he wrote for Kabushi and Kabwata makes him feel stupid because it lacked facts,” the sources said.
“For the Court President (Justice Munalula), she has always favoured the UPND and President Hichilema, remember even in the Lungu eligibility petition, she is the only one who offered dissenting judgment that Lungu didn’t qualify to stand, even in the Kwacha and Kabushi election petition, she again was the only one who said ECZ acted within the law.”
The sources further revealed that Magistrate Faides Hamaundu was promised a new position as Resident Chief Magistrate at Lusaka if she manages to convict Bowman Lusambo and the wife, Nancy.
“What is surprising is that Magistrate Hamaundu is retired, she is only serving on contract to help clear the backlog of cases and as far as we are concerned here at the Judicial Service Commission, you can’t promote someone who is on contract. She was promised Chief Registrar but she has been given the role of Principle Magistrate and she has very upset,” the sources said.
They added, “Magistrate Hamaundu also feels used. She has come to our offices complaining at the offer letter to be promoted as Principal Magistrate was handed over to her. She now wants to stop as soon as her contract runs out.”
They said the manner in which State House is treating appointment of judges as potential to undermine the judiciary.
The sources said all the key appointments in the judiciary is coming from State House.
The said Magistrate Martin Namushi who was based in Samfya was promised a transfer to Luanshya if he handled the Chitotela and Chilangwa court case in Kawambwa favourably.
The sources have warned that the schemes by Chief Justice Mumba Malila and President Hichilema have the potential to put the country on fire.
“CJ Malila needs to be careful with the manner is handling his relationship with President Hichilema or else, he risks going to jail when there is a change in government,” they warned.
Beans olo true? I am gravitating towards the former.
Ati…According to highly placed sources…we must be very gullible indeed to believe such reporting
Names have been mentioned. Let’s wait and see if LT will be ready to stand by this story when those whose reputations have been injured take action. The next couple of weeks should be leave news consumers spellbound.
Yes LT are bold enough to name the culprits meaning they have evidence that they can bring before a court if summoned. The judges know the laws so if they feel they are defamed they will challenge this report. Thank you LT for doing your job as the Fourth Estate. We can only rub our hands as we await the fireworks
LT should know that these judges think they are Gods. They locked up a Mr Gregory Chifire, for 6 years for questioning the outcome of an appeal. Only in China can that happen
Any person who has a complaint against a judge can report to the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC) rather than scandalizing their names in a one-sided way that does not give them a chance to respond.
Story yamu kachasu
Are you Gary Nkombo’s henchman? Always looking for Kachasu instead of monitoring expenditure and allowing offices tobuy the wrong cars!
This is very interesting.
only I D O T S cant see the truth in this.. Brainwashed and Cult initiated praise singers. May God deliver You.
You’ve already seen truth in this? Useless patriot!!
Tarven talk………..
LT is now a rumour mill………..
Since , according to this story , evidence is there to exonerate nakachinda……..
He has nothing to worry about……..
Keep doubting U Praise Singer. U have already sold ur souls to the cult so You have eyes but cant see.
Someone says report to the JCC? Which JCC? As a new employee I reported to the manager the pilfering that was going on in our department. What I didn’t know was that the manager was part of the cartel…. the rest is history.
De Javu, file your cogent complaint against judicial misconduct to the JCC and test its integrity. You will have a chance to face each other there with your lawyers. If the JCC delivers an unsound decision, you will a basis to argue from in asking for reform.
I’m not surprised. They are puppet judges. Imagine judges who are willing to dress in colonial garb feeling proud to be wearing white people’s wigs! They just show they are ready to be controlled by any puppet player, local and foreign
Kwena mwe cant they change that uniform? all colonial uniforms were changed from kapasos to police at independence in 1964. Kenya Tanzania abandoned those white people’s wigs
Hmmm this info doesn’t sound authentic, sounds like Nakacinda stories, with more facts we all know on judiciary mishandling cases.
There’s no President that has never interfered with the Judiciary, but what’s annoying is how judicial officers defend their criminality. I don’t see any difference in the behavior of traffic police officers and some judges. We haven’t forgotten how they panicked when MCS appointed Judge Chikopa Tribunal. It could have exposed many.
Everything is rotten… Milupi says he’s been cleared of the Munir Zulu allegations. How can he be cleared when we were told there was no investigation going on? Ladies and gentlemen what goes round comes round. HH should not think he’s smatter than Kaunda and those who followed.
Ala it will be bad because what they shuold know is that one day this govt wont be there and what will be next? people will be jailed am telling you.Already some of these cases even one who is not learned can tell,too bad for the zambian Judiciary.Can we please have a competent people in the Judiciarry.
You’re no patriot. Patriots bother to check what the law says. I suspect this is Raphael Nakacinda’s work because he knows his case in court has reached a critical stage. The Magistrates Court has found him with a case to answer in the utterances he made about some judges being summoned to be lectured by HH on giving verdicts favourable to the UPND in election petitions.
This is fake news. Anyone with two brain cells can see that this is PF authored article. Simply adding ‘our sources’ doesn’t give this article any truth.
The best place to check this one out is JCC. Do they have such a complaint lodged in? For all those names to appear publicly, it is best to assume some judges have been cited but no sitting active yet on it.
I am gravitating towards believing this story. HH has not acted honorably from the time he got elected. His mistakes are just too visible to be glossed over. By the end of his 5 year term, he will have left Zambia in pieces.
Show the proof before you accuse, I could say that you are an A$$hole, and you are right to ask for proof.
Show proof of this then we will take it up