Ex-MP sued over legal fees

A LAW firm has sued former MMD Kapiri Mposhi Member of Parliament (MP) Lawrence Zimba for allegedly failing to settle over K300, 000 legal fees owned to the firm.

In a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court, Central Chambers claimed that in September 2011, Mr Zimba instructed the firm to represent him in a matter involving an election petition. Central Chambers indicated that upon receiving the said instruction from Mr Zimba, the parties proceeded to agree on the fee scale to be applied and that he was represented until the matter was disposed of in the High Court and Supreme Court.

The firm further claimed that the two parties consequently, entered into an agreement as to the payment of the said fees but Mr Zimba duly started servicing his debt until May 2018 when he started defaulting payment to date.

“The defendant only paid K25, 000. 00 of the fees leaving on 11 November 2011, K10, 000. 00 on 3rd May 2012, K15, 000. 00 on 30th March 2017 and K12, 000. 00 on 24th May 2018, after which he stopped servicing his indebtedness to the plaintiff, leaving a balance of K388, 000. 00 as at the said 24th May 2018,”read the claim.

The firm stated that despite several reminders, Mr Zimba had ignored and refused to liquidate his debt.

Now the firm wants K388, 000. 00, interest on the said amount and any other relief that the court may deem fit.