The DPP’s letter to the JCC
The DPP’s response to the JCC’s request that she exculpates herself against allegations leveled against her shows that she has nothing to say.
DPP Lilian Sinyuni has called these allegations as false. Now, who doesn’t know that Siyuni entered a nolle in the Milingo Lungu case? Who doesn’t know that Siyuni rebuked the DEC for re-arresting Lungu after her nolle? Who doesn’t know that Siyuni signed an immunity agreement with Lungu? These are actions that Pilato, Mary Chirwa and others have reported Siyuni to the JCC over. So how does the DPP call her own actions, which are in public domain, as false?
One would expect her to argue that she acted within her mandate and go on to cite the laws backing those actions. ‘False’ is a very pedestrian and carefree response to say the least. No wonder MMD president Dr Nevers Mumba has called Siyuni playful.
Then Lilian Siyuni says she can only respond to the JCC once President Hichilema waives her oath of secrecy. But since when has this happened? Siyuni’s own predecessor Mutembo Nchito was dragged to the JCC, via a holding cell in Chongwe, by the Edgar Lungu administration. Did he request or need a waiver from President Lungu? The JCC was created to deal with constitutional office holders, most of whom happen to be judges. And none has ever asked the President for a waiver to engage the JCC. As Green party president Peter Sinkamba has pointed out the President doesn’t have such powers as the very senior lawyer DPP Sinyuni is asking him to exercise.
Siyuni’s actions would be amusing if they were not so sad given the matters at hand. Ms Lilian Sinyuni should just say she has no excuse for her behaviour and probably, as Sinkamba keeps advising her, resign.
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