CHIEF Justice Mumba Malila says an Economic and Financial Crimes Court at the level of the Subordinate Court will soon be operational.
Justice Malila said this at the ceremonial opening of the High Court Criminal Sessions for 2022.
“I am pleased to announce that administratively, an Economic and Financial Crimes Court at the level of the Subordinate Court will soon be operational. It is designed to offer specialised Fast Track Court Services and ensure that all due process requirements being observed, illicitly obtained wealth is speedily recovered and restored to the public fiscus so as to enable the government channel resources to build tat essential road, pay that old village grandmother the Social Cash Transfer money she s badly needs, repair that collapsed roof of the old school and stock that public hospital with essential drugs,” Justice Malila said.
He said last Friday, pursuant to power entrusted in him, by Article 133(3) of the Constitution and Section 3(3) of the High Court Act, he signed a Statutory Instrument that will establish the Economic and Financial Crimes Court Division or the High Court for purposes of handling appeals from its Subordinate Court sibling.
“This, I think is patriotism. Yet I am convinced that it will call for even greater patriotism on the part of the judicial officers and judges that will be assigned to work in these courts,” Justice Malila said.
And High Court judge-in-charge Gertrude Chawatama urged judges to continue upholding their integrity as they continue discharging their duties.
Justice minister Mulambo Haimbe also urged judges to dispense justice in order to uphold the principles of impartiality, independence, fairness and determine cases without delay to ensure efficiency.
Judge Charles Zulu, who is in charge of the criminal session, said the judiciary was faced with a lot of challenges and some of the key ones were inadequate and lack of
infrastructure and inadequate number of judges.
(Mwebantu)