SELF-REPRESENTATION CARRIES GRAVE PERIL
… Prof Charles Banda breaks down Makebi Zulu’s courtroom gamble
By DAVID KANDUZA
POLITICAL analyst and Human Rights advocate Charles Banda has warned that lawyer and politician Makebi Zulu risks life imprisonment by going to battle against the State’s full legal team without counsel.
Professor Banda observed that self-representation carries catastrophic risks in a complex Constitutional and criminal case, especially when facing a formidable prosecution machine.
“If convicted, the offence carries life imprisonment,” Prof Banda cautioned, highlighting the sheer peril of navigating the legal maze alone.
The urgent warning follows a stunning courtroom twist that left the High Court bench astonished.
Opposition leader Makebi Zulu, himself a veteran lawyer, rejected the standard shield of a defense team, boldly declaring that he would represent himself in his critical bail application.
By flying solo, Mr Zulu had set up a high-stakes ‘David Versus Goliath’ showdown.
While some view the move as a defiant political statement, legal experts emphasise that the courtroom respects strict procedure over passion.
With a lifetime behind bars hanging in the balance, Mr Zulu now stands completely isolated in the dock, preparing to match the State’s elite legal artillery motion-for-motion.