Zambia has kicked off Justice Lombe Chibesakunda’s campaign for election as a judge on the International Criminal Court (ICC) after a series of meetings with diplomats at the United Nations in New York, in the United States of America.

Justice Chibesakunda has been in New York since November 24 where she has attended meetings for the purpose of introducing Zambia’s candidate to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the elections scheduled for the 7th session of the Assembly of States to be held in New York from 19 to 23 January 2009.

Justice Chibesakunda who is attending meetings for consideration to represent Zambia as a judge at the International Criminal Court in New York is in company of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice Gertrude Imbwae and the Ministry’s Parliament Counsel, Miyoba Muzumbwe.

The campaign material for Justice Chibesakunda explains that she is a judge of utmost distinction, currently serving at the Supreme Court of Zambia, which is the highest court of the land.

The campaign material further says Justice Chibesakunda is committed to the enforcement and strengthening of criminal justice and criminal justice system.

The campaign material goes further to state that she has vast experience in the criminal justice system which would be of great significance to the international criminal court adding that she possesses established competence in criminal law and procedure.

The campaign material also notes that having served as a state advocate in the director of public prosecutions chambers, she gained the requisite experience from a prosecution perspective and that as a judge she is impartial and upholds the principles of fair trial and natural justice adding that she is an advocate for social justice, international peace, interdependence of nations and international justice.

Justice Chibesakunda has also served as chair person of the Human Rights Commission of Zambia has served as Solicitor General, Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Legal Affairs and served as an Ambassador to Japan and the United Kingdom, the Holy Sea and the Netherlands.

Further more she participated in the Lancaster talks ushering in the independence of Zimbabwe and campaigned for the end of Apartheid rule in South Africa.

This is contained a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by First Secretary for Press at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations Moses Walubita.

ENDS/VP/AM/ZANIS

A Human Resources Specialist with the Ministry of Health has been arrested by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) for theft of public funds totaling over K30 million.

Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Relations Manager Timothy Moono confirmed to ZANIS in Lusaka today that Major Chirwa, 41, of plot 10045-1 Godfrey Kangwa Road in Lusaka’s Nyumba Yanga, and based at the Provincial Health Office in Lusaka, was arrested yesterday for one count of theft by public servant contrary to sections 272and 277 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Mr. Moono explained that particulars of the offence are that on dates unknown but between 1st November 2005 and 30th November 2005 at Lusaka in the Lusaka District of the Lusaka Province of the Republic of Zambia, Chirwa being a person employed in the public service as a Human Resource Management Specialist at the Central Board of Health, did steal a total of K39,280,110 cash from the government of the Republic of Zambia by purporting that he had paid out fuel refunds to various participants of the annual health worker’s meeting held from 10th November 2005 to 11th November 2005 when in fact not.

Chirwa has since been released on bond and will appear in court on 10th December 2008.

ENDS/MM/AM/ZANIS

The Mbala Magistrates Court has committed a Zambia Air Force officer to the High Court for sentencing after convicting him of defilement.

Before Magistrate, Stanley Sinyangwe, was Corporal Crispin Mutemwa Masheke, 30, a Zambia Air Force officer based at ZAF Mbala Air Base, who was charged with defilement contrary to Section 138 sub-section of Act number 15 of the Penal Code chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

The accused pleaded guilty to the charge of having canal knowledge of the below aged below 16.

And in his ruling, Magistrate Sinyangwe, said he committed Masheke to the High Court because the offence committed required a stiffer sentence which was beyond his jurisdiction.

Particulars of the offence were that on unknown dates but between January and November, this year, Masheke did have unlawful carnal knowledge of a named girl aged 10, whom he was looking after.

Facts of the case were that the accused repeatedly defiled the girl after grabbing her from the bedroom into the sitting room of his house.

The ordeal allegedly started last year after Masheke took custody of the girl following the death of one of her parents.

However, the matter was reported to the police, who later arrested the accused on November 25, this year for defilement.

And a medical report presented to the court revealed that the child was defiled and may have contracted a Sexually Transmitted Infection following sexual abuse, as indicated by a urinary infection that she developed.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Sinyangwe, warned perpetrators of defilement and other offences that the courts of law would not relent in meting out stiffer punishment on perpetrators as a measure of deterring would-be offenders.

Defilement is one of the serious sexual offences in the laws of Zambia and carries a minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment with hard labour for those found guilt of the offence.

ZANIS/WS/ENDS/SJK

President Rupiah Banda has directed the Ministry of Justice and the Gender in Development Division to speed up the process of auditing legislation on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

Mr Banda said in Lusaka yesterday that consultations regarding the proposed Bill on gender-based violence were on schedule and that the Government would present it to Parliament soon.

Mr Banda said even if the Constitution provided for the protection of the rights of all individuals, there were concerns raised by various stakeholders that the rights of women had not been adequately addressed.

In a speech read for him by Vice-President, George Kunda, when he launched this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, Mr Banda said the Government placed the protection of the rights of all individuals on the agenda as enshrined in the Constitution.

Explaining the measures that the Government was implementing in an effort to eradicate gender violence, Mr Banda said the Vision 2030 prioritized the protection of human rights, especially those of women and children.

Mr Banda said the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) prioritized the domestication of various human rights instruments which Zambia was party to.

He said yesterday’s event, whose theme was ‘Human Rights for Women – Human Rights for All in Zambia’ was important as it denoted the Government’s commitment to the elimination of all forms of gender violence in society.

“For my administration, the theme is challenging us leaders to critically reflect on our legislation, policies and programmes in so far as they relate to the rights of women,” he said.

He said the Government felt it fit to appoint the Constitutional Review Commission and enact the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) Act to enable the people to create a Constitution that represented their views and protected all the citizens.

He said the Government believed that gender and other pertinent issues raised during the consultative process would feature prominently in the new Constitution.

At the same function, Home Affairs Minister, Kalombo Mwansa said there were many challenges in the fight against gender-based violence, hence a lot of work needed to be done.

Dr Mwansa urged all Zambians to get involved in the fight, as all citizens were potential victims of the vice.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative, Macleod Nyirongo said Zambia, like many other countries in the world, was still experiencing an increase in incidences of gender-based violence.

Mr Nyirongo said the Zambian report of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination indicated that violence against women and children was still rife.

“The number of reported cases of defilement rose from 306 reported cases in 2000 to 1,511 cases in 2005. Likewise, reported cases of rape increased from 198 in 2001 to 308 in 2003,” he said.

Human Rights Commission chairperson, Pixie Yangailo said millions of women and girls were currently being tormented day and night simply because of their gender, which was bad.

Non Government Organisation Coordinating Council chairperson Marian Munyinda called for the quick domestication of various international conventions related to the protection of womenís rights in the country.
Times of Zambia