LAWYERS FABRICATING REFERENCES WARNED
LUSAKA High Court Judge Mwila Chitabo, has cautioned legal practitioners fabricating references appearing before him in the Livingstone High Court that he will not accept any submissions that have no authorities in the Zambia Law Reports (ZLR).
And, the Court has set May 16 2018 as trial date in the matter in which Talent Munkombwe Nchimunya of Kalomo is charged with the offence of murder contrary to section 200 chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.
Justice Chitabo, SC who is presiding over the second session of the criminal session of the Livingstone High Court observed that there has been a tendency by attorneys and advocates of making fictitious references and authorities that were outside the ZLW.
He said that because of such tendencies, the court had to research on the references and authorities that are sited in submissions because they are never in the ZLW. Justice Chitabo, SC was speaking during the official opening of the session in Livingstone on Monday morning.
“To the attorneys and advocates, let me state that I will only accept submissions that have references in the Zambia Law Reports.
Any other authority and references outside that must be in hard copy…there have been some fictitious authorities that are sited and it has taken the court to research and verify,” he said.
And, the Court has set May, 16 2018 as a commencement of trial in the matter in which Talent Munkombwe Nchimunya of Kalomo district in Southern Province is charged with the offence of murder contrary to section 200 chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.
This in a matter in which Talent Munkombwe Nchimunya of Kanchele Village in Chief Sipatunyana's area in Kalomo District of Southern Province brutally murdered Mapalo Chanda Kamfwa, the young brother to the PF Media Director Sunday Chanda.
When the matter came up before Judge Chitabo in a fully parked court, the accused person was ready out the charged to which he pleaded not guilty.
The matter has since been adjourned to May 7, 2018 for the start of trial and the accused person in custody.