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The Post No. 979, MONDAY EDITION, MAY 18, 1998 NewsChona, AFRONET, ZIMT react to DPP's suspension
By Mukalya Nampito and Kema Kasalaba
Opposition UNIP trustee and leader of the defence team in the treason case, State Counsel Mainza Chona, yesterday hoped that the suspension of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Meebelo Kalima will not further delay the start of trial. State Counsel Chona, in an interview, said although the action against Kalima is a presidential prerogative, he regretted that it had taken place now when the trial is supposed to start on June 1. "Kalima had made a firm undertaking to me on Monday (May 11) that all the statements containing the evidence and list of witnesses would be handed to each of the accused and their lawyers by Friday (May 15). This has not happened," Chona said. "We hope the suspension of Kalima will not be an excuse for further delay in providing the depositions and list of witnesses," he added. A visit to Meebelo's Rhod-espark residence yesterday afternoon proved futile as his wife said he had left instructions that he did not want to speak to the press. "I was told not to give out information on the whereabouts of Mr. Kalima and that he does not want to speak to the press yet," he said. Kalima was suspended from his duties pending investigations by President Frederick Chiluba on Saturday. The suspension was with immediate effect and it was according to Article 58 (5) of the Constitution of Zambia. President Chiluba's public relations and press assistant Richard Sakala, in a statement on Saturday, said a tribunal constituting Supreme Court judge Ernest Sakala, High Court judges Peter Chitengi and Robert Kapembwa would probe Kalima's issue. And Inter Africa Network for Human Rights and Development executive director Ngande Mwanajiti called the suspension a good development and that every responsible citizen should welcome this but reasons for it should be explained. Mwanajiti, in an interview yesterday, said the DPP was a critical organisation in the dispension of justice in the country and that Kalima was not in a position to do that. "It would have been good to specify exactly what he did so that we know why he's been suspended though his suspension is long overdue," said Mwanajiti. "Meebelo should have been suspended a long time ago especially in the incident when he threatened a bus conductor with a pistol." He said there were allegations of complaints from the investigation wing of the police of missing dockets containing serious cases at his office. He added that the person that was going to be appointed as the new DPP would do a better job. "The person who will take over from Meebelo should do a better job. This also shows that government can, if it wants, respond to concerns that have been expressed by human rights activists," he said. Mwanajiti urged government to begin to dialogue with organisations concerned with human right abuses adding that it was good to note that public officers could also be brought to book. Zambia Independent Monitoring Team (ZIMT) president Alfred Zulu, in an interview yesterday, said the appointment of Meebelo as Director for Public Prosecution was condemned by the civil society and all concerned citizens. "President Chiluba made a serious blunder when he appointed Meebelo despite serious critics from the civil society and all concerned citizens," Zulu said. He condemned the appointment of old men and women who were being recalled to run important constitutional commissions by the President. He said such people should be retired and recruit young people. "Most of the likes of Kalima in these commissions are old and retired men and women who are being recalled to serve on very important constitutional commissions," said Zulu. " President Chiluba is making the same misplacement mistakes that his predecessor was making." He urged the tribunal that had been appointed to act very fast and establish the reason behind Meebelo's suspension in the stipulated time as required by the Constitution. |
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