Masebo now sues Harrington

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Tourism Minister Sylvia Masebo
Tourism Minister Sylvia Masebo

FORMER Tourism and Arts minister Sylvia Masebo has dragged former Communications and Transport minister, William Harrington to court over his decision to ignite the formation of a tribunal against her.
Ms Masebo contends that the tribunal, which was constituted to probe her alleged interference in the operations of the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) at the insistence of Mr Harrington, threw her reputation into ridicule.
She said in a writ of summons filed in the Lusaka High Court principal registry yesterday that her name had been harmed and that she suffered mental anguish and was prevented from attending to her official business during the two weeks of the tribunal.
Ms Masebo, who is Chongwe Member of Parliament said she incurred considerable expenses in defending the allegations levelled against her by Mr Harrington.
She wants the court to order Mr Harrington to pay her damages for malicious institution of civil proceedings, special damages for bringing her name into disrepute and for harming her reputation.
She also wants Mr Harrington to be ordered to pay costs of the defence as specified in bills from her lawyers from Simeza, Sangwa and Associates, Mulenga Mundashi and Company and Ellis and Company.
Ms Masebo further wants Mr Harrington to pay expenses she encountered to transport witnesses to and from Lusaka, their boarding, upkeep and other costs she incurred during the tribunal.
She said on January 21, 2013, Mr Harrington maliciously and without reasonable cause laid a complaint against her before the acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda alleging that she had breached the provisions of the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act.
But Ms Justice Chibesakunda, after reviewing the allegations, declined to set up a tribunal on grounds that the allegations made against her did not cause action under the Code of Conduct Act.
Ms Masebo said following the rejection of his complaint, Mr Harington relentlessly pursued her both in the media and through an action for judicial review which eventually directed the setting up of the tribunal.
Ms Masebo said after a full investigation, the tribunal in its report dated March 26, 2014 made its findings that she did not breach any provisions of the Code of Conduct Act.

3 COMMENTS

  1. This will be a very interesting case in court. Wished could learn from legal minds the contending arguments

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