Govt denies involvement in Mutembo Nchito arrest

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Mutembo Nchito
Mutembo Nchito

INFORMATION and Broadcasting Services Minister Chishimab Kambwili has said that the Government had no hand in the arrest of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) by the police on Thursday.

Mr Kambwili, who is Chief Government spokesperson, has described as baseless the accusation by Rainbow Party president Wynter Kabimba that the Government was framing Mr Nchito to cover up former President Rupiah Banda’s alleged criminality.
Mr Kambwili said yesterday that President Edgar Lungu was leading a disciplined and law-abiding Government that would never stoop low as to prescribe to the courts of law, let alone law-enforcement agencies, who to arrest.
It should be noted that Mr Nchito has had issues with a number of notable Zambian citizens such as civil rights activist Brebner Changala, former Solwezi Member of Parliament Lucky Mulusa and former Finance deputy minister Newton Ng’uni, who have tried to take him to court or Tribunal over his alleged misdeeds.
Mr Kambwili advised Mr Kabimba to do his homework so that he could discover, as everyone knew, that the case against the DPP had been raised by a private citizen.
Mr Kambwili said that it was unexpected of a man of Mr Kabimba’s background to utter such remarks.
As former Justice minister, State counsel and politician who once held prominent positions in the ruling party, Mr Kabimba was expected to exercise the highest levels of integrity, truth and professionalism in his comments on national issues, Mr Kambwili said.
“We know that he is desperate to grow his party, but that should not be done with blatant lies against the Government in order to win cheap political mileage,” the minister said.
Mr Kambwili reminded Mr Kabimba that he was secretary general of the PF barely six months ago during which he truly and rightfully defended the PF’s impeccable record of good governance, rule of law and protection and promotion of fundamental human rights.
He wondered what wrong Mr Kabimba had seen now in the PF which he never saw when he was secretary general.
“I put it to Mr Kabimba that by attacking the PF he is merely politicking and that there is no aorta of truth in what he is saying,” Mr Kabwili said.
Meanwhile, the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has asked President Lungu to intervene in the threat to arrest Mr Nchito who holds a constitutional office and enjoys security of tenure that provides that he can only be removed from office for incompetence, inability to perform the functions through illness or misbehaviour.
LAZ president George Chisanga said yesterday that the association had received with shock the manoeuvers by the police in executing an arrest warrant against Mr Nchito despite a court order staying the warrant.
Mr Chisanga said filing of criminal charges against a sitting DPP on grounds that have been made public was unprecedented in Zambia.

 

Times of Zambia

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