JUDGE KATANEKWA’S SUSPENSION AN ACT OF INTIMIDATION- MUNDUBILE
Friday, 29 December 2023
Mporokoso Member of Parliament Brian Mundubile says he is saddened by the suspension of Lusaka High Court Judge Timothy Katanekwa, which he says is a form of intimidation.
On Wednesday, President Hakainde suspended Judge Katanekwa from office, acting on the recommendation in a report presented to him by the Judicial Complaints Commission.
The suspended judge is also handling the matter in which Miles Sampa sued Nickson Chilangwa and Given Lubinda, challenging their initial positions of acting secretary general and acting president of PF, respectively.
In an interview, Thursday, Mundubile said he had always been concerned about the composition of the JCC.
“From the beginning, we had raised issues concerning the composition of the Judicial Complaints Commission. The composition was such that members of that commission would be drawn from management Or central committee. We raised an issue that going forward, what we’ll see is that there will be an intimidation of the judges. And for sure what we have seen in the recent past is that there has been a lot of intimidation on the commission in the manner in which the disciplinary cases are handled.
The Judiciary goes to defend rights, asserts rights of citizens and indeed anchors the Constitution of democracy. So when that arm of government is operating under fear because of any institution like JCC, you have a lot of challenges.
It results in judges working under duress when it comes to matters,” he said.
“So, the case of judge Katenekwa is actually an example. There are few other cases that you can refer to including the handling of the case of the former DPP. So, indeed it is a source of worry and concern especially that the judges that appear before the JCC are those that may be handling sensitive matters that are
not in the best interest of the government or the UPND as a party.
So, we saw the suspension of judge Katenekwa and we are saddened by what appeared to be an intimidation of judges (which] has continued”
Mundubile added that the composition of JCC must be critically analysed.
“The composition of JCC must be very critically analysed. I think their handling of matters is a part that also needs to be looked at critically and [there] may be need to analyse the nature of the judges that have appeared before the commission to see that what is happening at JCC will amount to intimidation of judges,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mundubile said he had seen the efforts made by the UPND government to try and destroy PF.
“The writing is clear on the wall. We have seen the efforts that have been made by the government to try and destroy the PF. I think there are several examples that [show that] the UPND is determined to destroy the PF knowing very well that it is the largest opposition political party and also being aware that their performance has been rated very poor compared to the performance of the PF to the people. So they have resorted to deteriorate PF as a party, said Mundubile.
(Credit: News Diggers)
When SATA formed tribunal against the same judge you never raised those nosense issues, SATA went on bring in a judge from Malawi by the name of judge chipoko and for you it was not intimidation but working no baba that is double standard.
Mundubile is a clown and thinks we are fools. Such utterances are just an insult to our intelligence.
The kind that buys a Rolls Royce in Zambia and drive it where? And service it where? What wisdom does one get from such a leader?
Hear this same Judge was suspended or fired by Sata. Mundubile saw it fit at the time. Today, the same Judge is suspended by President HH and Mundubile is crying foul? What kind of a person is this Mundubile? Is he normal or is he being silly?
The president doesn’t just pick on judges and suspend them, the stakeholders complain to the JSC and upon interviews and investigations, then the JSC writes to the President recommending suspension or termination. The President the acts on the recommendations. It’s a democracy that has checks and balances. The JSC acts on the complaint, the invite written submissions and evidence from both the complainant and the Judge involved. After that, from the evidence they make a determination and later recommendations to the President on what action to take or dismiss the allegations. How do you blame the president. You are the people who make and pass the same laws. Unless you go drunk or under the influence of drugs or you sleep at the time of debating and voting on the laws in parliament, you shouldn’t complain. How did you think the laws you pass in parliament were going to be implemented?? It’s now too much of you PF fools.
The Press even reported that the Chief Justice was critical about one of his rulings and wrote to him (the JCC report states).
All this ba lawyer aka Chairman of Legal for PF forgets all that and wants to “hoodwink us”.
Ubupuba mule chita ba Mundubile.
Mundubile is a very big disgrace to the good people of Mporokoso. Whenever he opens his mouth he talks politics not development.
When a Judge is handling sensitive issues which are of public interest, he is suspended.
African democracy has gone to the dogs. The 1990s wave of democracies on the continent is being replaced by despots and Criminals whose interest in politics is just to plunder resources…and to do this they have to stifle dissenting views. All they want is absolute power where the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary are in the despot’s pocket…so as to steal unhindered. What a pathetic situation Africa finds itself.
Zambian Obsever don’t block my views. You
Allow Praise Singers to insult any one with different views. Am not insulting anyone. Am just giving an alternative, independent opinion. Allow intellectual discourse. Dont stifle my views.
Mandubile is an empty tin , Michael Sata fired katenekwa and he was reinstead by Ecl.
Disgraced praise singers
These pfidiots are katwishi. They’ve been calling for the judges Chocho and Katenekwa to be removed because the two are ones in the Judiciary being used in their Miles Sampa confusion. Now Katenekwa has been removed ati its intimidation, are these people normal??
Sorry meant ‘are these idiots normal?’
Zambianobserver, still moderating my comment???