Kabwe resident calls for decentralisation of Attorney General’s office

A Kabwe resident has petitioned government to decentralise the office of the Attorney General in order to improve operations.

 

Patrick Tembo, 50, a retired Zambia Prison Service employee residing at 76 Kawama in Mukobeko Township told the Justice Frederick Chomba led Legal and Justice Sector Reform Commission that the attorney general chambers were characterised by inefficiency.

 

He said decentralisation at provincial and district level will help the attorney general’s chambers to attend to the backlog of cases brought by citizens against the state.

 

Mr. Tembo charged that the office has become a stumbling block to ordinary citizens in their quest to seek justice.

 

He pointed out that many cases against the state have stalled in courts of law on account of inertia at the attorney general’s chambers.

Mr. Tembo explained that he obtained judgement against the Attorney General in the sum of K78, 000 in 2008 but was set aside upon instigation from his office.

 

He complained that since 2008, the matter has failed to take off on account of the attorney general’s chambers not making itself available to dispose of the cases.

 

During the same public sitting, five other petitioners complained to the commission that they had judgments against the attorney general dating as far back as 10 years and no efforts had been made to pay them. 

 

However, Justice Chomba regretted the development and assured the petitioners that the commission will seek audience with relevant authorities to address the problem.