ConCourt reprimands attorney-general’s office

THE Constitutional Court has reprimanded the Attorney General’s office to show seriousness towards court proceedings.

This is a matter in which UPND leader, Hakainde Hichilema and his vice, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, have appealed the ruling of a single judge of the Constitutional Court which sought the Speaker of the National Assembly to disjoin proceedings relating to why he did not take up executive powers when the presidential petition was in court.

When the matter came up for possible hearing yesterday before a full bench of the Constitutional Court headed by judge president Hilda Chibomba, principal state advocate in the office of the Attorney General, Francis Mwale, asked for adjournment as the Solicitor General, Abraham Mwansa, who has conduct with the matter was not before court.

Mr Mwale said the Attorney General’s office has since filed an affidavit of notice of motion for an order of variation of dates of hearing.

But Counsel for the appellants John Sangwa complained that there was luck of seriousness from the office of the Attorney General as it was the second time they asked for an adjournment. Mr Sangwa said the court would be setting a bad precedence if the matter was adjourned based on those reasons.

“The office of the Attorney General is an institution with more than one lawyer, he had time to arrange another lawyer to handle this matter. The reasons are the same as the ones given last time and there is no proper reason why this matter should not be heard today,” he said.

In delivering ruling, Justice Martin Musaluke granted adjournment sought but said it was a proper case to condemn the Attorney General’s office to cost to be agreed in default.

He urged the Attorney General’s office to show serious behavour to court proceedings as it was the last adjournment the court was granting.

The matter has since been adjourned to a later date.