Prosecutors boycott court?
THE Lusaka magistrates court rooms were eerily deserted yesterday with no activities as prosecutors stayed away reportedly in protest against the killing of a prosecutor last week.
A check at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court complex yesterday found no activity taking place as there were no prosecutors and the magistrates were reportedly in a meeting.
However, Justice Minister Given Lubinda has dismissed reports that National Prosecutions Authority (NPA) prosecutors boycotted to prosecute cases in protest against the killing of their colleague Nsama Nsama Chipyoka last week.
In an interview yesterday, Mr. Lubinda said he had spoken to the NPA chief administrator and the official position was that there had not been any boycott.
He said some cases were adjourned yesterday because last Thursday most of the prosecutors
did not go for work as they were traumatized and that matters that were supposed to be indicted were not indicted.
“That is why some of the cases were adjourned this morning (yesterday) but officially there is nothing like a boycott. We will wait and see what happens tomorrow (today). Some prosecutors were not in court because their matters were not ready.
“If the prosecutors will not be there tomorrow (today) that will be something different,” Mr. Lubinda said.
He said he was not aware of the prosecutors’ boycott because he is on leave.
Mr Lubinda however said he was in the office yesterday morning but that nobody informed him about the prosecutors’ boycott
Mr. Nsama was gunned down following a fracas between police officers and United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres who had gone to give solidarity to their leader Hakainde Hichilema at the
police headquarters for questioning last Wednesday.
All accused persons and other litigants were told to go back to court today.
In an interview earlier, one of the prosecutors confirmed that they will only work once they see the report on circumstances that led to Mr Nsama’s killing.
“We want a report that is when we will work because we know what is there. We know what is supposed to be contained in that report. We want a report so that we know that they (the police) are doing sensible things.
“We have already reconstructed the scene and we know who should be arrested and we need a dignified report that befits the circumstances,” the source said.
Inspector General of Police, Kakoma Kanganja, was yesterday expected to present a report to President Edgar Lungu on circumstances that resulted in the shooting of Mr. Nsama and a UPND supporter Joseph Kaunda.