WOMEN MOVEMENT SADDENED BY ALLEGED ABUSE OF LEGAL PROCESS AGAINST MUMBI PHIRI
BY Lukundo Nankamba
The Non-Governmental Gender Organizations’ Coordinating Council-NGOCC- has charged that the release of Former Patriotic Front Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri on a Nolle Prosequi before judgment in the case in which she was co-accused in the murder of UPND cadre Lawrence Banda in 2019 is an abuse of the legal process against her as there was no clear evidence from the proceedings linking Ms Phiri to the murder.
Addressing the media in Lusaka this morning, NGOCC Chairperson Grace Sinkamba expressed concern that while the Director of Public Prosecution -DPP- has the right to enter a Nolle Prosequi any time before judgment, there is need for the country to reform the law and get rid of some of the powers off the office of the DPP which are subject to abuse.
Ms Sinkamba says it is saddening that Ms Phiri spent 376 days in custody and only to be released on a Nolle, which is clear evidence that the country needs a credible and transparent constitutional review process that will help consolidate Zambia’s democracy.
She has since called for the immediate review of the law to ensure citizens are not punished for crimes they did not commit.
Ms Sinkamba has also called on government to provide the country with a clear roadmap on holding of a national referendum, for the inclusion of the expanded bill of rights in the constitution to help deal with cases better without legal abuse.
PHOENIX NEWS