Minister of Justice Given Lubinda says Zambians should not expect all prosecutions to produce convictions because their role is to assist the courts in reaching a fair and just decision.
And Mr Lubinda says Government has made tremendous progress towards refining the Republican Constitution.Reacting to criticism that the State has been losing a lot of cases through acquittals and dropping some through nolles, Mr Lubinda said it was not possible for the State to win all cases it presented before courts.
He said state advocates mainly depend on investigations done by investigative wings of government in order to win cases.Mr Lubinda said on average state advocates attend to 36 cases per month, a move he described as unbearable.
He said government has now decided to move prosecutors from the DEC and the police and place them under National Prosecution Authority in accordance with the constitution.
Mr Lubinda disclosed that prosecutors at the Anti-Corruption Commission who have not yet been moved will also be moved to the National Prosecution Authority next year.
And the Minister said Lacunas in the constitution were of great concern to government.Mr Lubinda said to this effect, he would soon issue a ministerial statement to Parliament to give details on specific articles that would need to be reviewed in the constitution.
He said a ministerial statement would also give a progress report on how far the process had reached.
Mr Lubinda was speaking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia when he was transiting to Rome to attend a conference for Ministers of Justice, themed ‘A world without a death penalty, no justice without life’.
He said the conference was important as it would help broaden the debate in Zambia on the death penalty that had been retained in the 2016 Amended Constitution.He said no President starting with Zambia’s third President Levy Mwanawasa to incumbent President Edgar Lungu have ever signed a death penalty.
Issued by
Mrs Inutu Mupango Mwanza
First Secretary-Press and Toursim
Zambia Embassy-Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
“Minister of Justice Given Lubinda says Zambians should not expect all prosecutions to produce convictions because their role is to assist the courts in reaching a fair and just decision.”
I doubt a lawyer can utter the above rubbish from this Agric Diploma holder Justice Minister….such cases should not be in the court in the first place!!!
A lot of bribes take place out of courts so that cases are closed. You will agree with me that a lot of people will do with an extra income to have fun around the city, it’s the order of the day, 24/7.
The death penalty should be debated by us Zambians and not foreigners for us. Is it not us who suffer from the rath of the criminals. Let it be decided by a referendum.