A traditional ruler in Luwingu district in Northern Province has chased away Katuta local court magistrate with immediate effect due to what he called gross misconduct.
Chief Katuta of the Abena Mukulu clan of Lupososhi Constituency demanded that the local court magistrate leave the chiefdom with immediate effect due to lack of respect and accused the magistrate of using abusive language and threatened to lock him up.
This is contained in a letter dated 18th August 2014 addressed to katuta Local court magistrate, a Mr Swaba, and made available to Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in luwingu today.
“I, chief Katuta Kafwimbi (II), am hereby informing and demanding you, Mr Swaba to evict from that house and leave my chiefdom with immediate effect due to gross misconduct and lack of respect,” read the letter in part.
Chief Katuta said he decided to banish the local court magistrate from his chiefdom because he was not happy with the behaviour portrayed by the government officer in the area.
“In order to contain the situation in my chiefdom I have decided to chase away the officer from my chiefdom with immediate effect,” he added.
Chief Katuta further complained that the local court magistrate does not show loyalty to him and disobeys some decisions made by the chief regarding local court issues.
“You do not show loyalty and you disobey decisions, turning the local court into a police force; you are each and every time locking up people in order to earn money to satisfy yourself,” chief Katuta lamented in his letter.
And Mr Swaba denied the allegation levelled against him, saying chief Katuta and his indunas were complaining that the chickens and goats have stopped going to the palace since the opening of Katuta local court because all the matters were being dealt at the court.
He said in some cases chief katuta has been ordering him to referrer some of the cases to him in order for the palace to benefit.
Mr Swaba later produced about five letters written by chief Katuta asking him to referrer some cases to him and his indunas to preside over cases which deal with customary law such as divorce, illegal marriages and other related cases.
The brook is dry, the goose is dead hence, no supply.
Although this is an unverified story, this is why chiefs should not be given too much power in this modern day and age because of their inherent selfishness and corrupt tendencies. If subjects want their cases handled at the traditional level, they should not go to court in the first place.
Chiefs shud hv respect for govrnment officers and they shud start enging themselves into farming instead of handouts
Corrupt province and their corrupt chiefs. Only place you would expect nonsense even without geographical explanation. These chiefs need to know Zambian people have a constitution that protects them.
“I, chief Katuta Kafwimbi (II), am hereby informing and demanding you, Mr Swaba to evict from that house and leave my chiefdom with immediate effect due to gross misconduct and lack of respect,” read the letter in part. Nonsense