— Mukombwe urges courts to discipliner erring police officers

Mukombwe urges courts to discipliner erring police officers

 

Livingstone, January 12, 2015 ZANIS————Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe has called on the Judiciary to use its constitutional powers to discipline insubordinate police officers.

 

Mr. Munkombwe noted that failure by the Judiciary to discipline erring police officers would result in the judiciary’s authority being trampled upon.

 

“If you are too shy to enforce the authority bestowed on you by the constitution, some bad elements in the police service may trample upon it, and this should not be encouraged,” he said.

 

ZANIS rep9orts that the provincial minister  who was flanked by Provincial Deputy Permanent Secretary Douglas Ngimbu said this in Livingstone today after the ceremonial opening of the High Court.

 

Meanwhile, the minister says it was embarrassing for prisoners to lack mattresses and blankets when Livingstone City had powerful business houses that could donate to the vulnerable members of society.

 

Mr. Munkombwe said prisoners were human beings who deserved to be looked after well, and donations from the business sector in the tourist capital would help alleviate their suffering.

 

He further stated that government would address the matter in which Judicial Officers shunned working from Chief Moomba’s area in Kazungula district as their colleagues dispatched there earlier, mysteriously turned blind.

 

Earlier, Livingstone High Court Judge Ernest Mukulwamutiyo said issues of unethical conduct by police officers were on the upswing, over detentions, arbitrary arrests and lack of professionalism.

 

 

Justice Mukulwamutiyo noted that these were a recipe for corruption and bordered on abuse of authority which goes against good governance.

 

He further said the province was facing some challenges such as some local courts not operating, in particular Kabozu Local Court in Kazungula district in Chief Moomba’s area.

 

The said local court has been un operational for more than five years  due to the fact that officers dispatched  there became blind after allegedly being bewitched .

 

Justice Mukulwamutiyo also cited Chuundu, Sianzovu, Mweemba, Chipepo, Chibuwe and Naluma Local Courts as not being operational due to lack of magistrates.

 

He said the province also faced a shortage of court rooms and offices.

 

“In Livingstone, there are two court rooms against six magistrates and in Choma there is one court room against four magistrates. The judiciary further faces insufficient funding making it hard for the institution to operate efficiently,” he said.

 

Judge Mukulwamutiyo however, revealed that the number of inmates complaining of delayed cases had significantly reduced.