COURT STARTS REALLOCATING CASES OF TRANSFERRED MAGISTRATES

THE Lusaka Magistrate Court Chief Res identMmagistrate Dominic Makalicha has started reallocating some of the cases that were being handled by magistrates affected by the recent transfers.

This follows the transfer of 11 magis trates from Lusaka.

Yesterday, Magistrate Makalicha sent back some cases which were reallocated to him by magistrate Sandford Ngobola of the Financial Crimes Court.

A check at the registry showed that the CRM only reallocated matters of magis trates who were to be transferred.

Last week Magistrate Ngobola sent some cases to CRM for reallocation as he said he was overwhelmed with cas es only for the cases to be sent back to him as there was no senior magistrate to handle such matters. On Tuesday, May 24, 2022 the Judicial Service Commission transferred 11 magistrates out of Lusa ka, among them Ms Jennifer Bwalya who recently discharged former Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development Ronald Chitotela of two counts of posses sion of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Ms Bwalya was also handling the Patri otic Front’s Raphael Nakacinda’s defama tion of the President case, Joseph Malan ji’s suspected corruption case, and Former

Secretary to the treasury Fredson Yamba’s suspected corruption case.

Magistrate Bwalya has reportedly been transferred to Mansa, Luapula Province, while Senior Resident Magistrate Nthan dose Chabala was moved to Choma, Southern Province.

Other magistrates who were transferred include; Felix Kaoma (senior magistrate), Alice Walusiku (senior magistrate) Changa Chitabo (Resident Magistrate), Francis Sato (Resident Magistrate).

And also among them is former Infor mation permanent secretary, Amos Malu penga’s wife, Betty Malupenga.

Ms Malupenga has served as a resident magistrate in Lusaka for over 10 years.