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Task Force explains insistence on arresting Chungu, Kabwe

Task Force explains insistence on arresting Chungu, Kabwe
Written by Kabanda Chulu
Saturday, December 27, 2008 1:03:20 PM

TASK Force on Corruption public relations officer Victor Makai yesterday dismissed assertions that the institution does not respect the judiciary following its insistence on arresting Aaron Chungu and Faustin Kabwe when the duo had a court order.

Former Access Financial Services directors Chungu and Kabwe, who are facing corruption and theft charges, had sought a court order to question the legitimacy of the Task Force on Corruption to investigate and prosecute corruption cases.

Explaining the developments that led to Chungu and Kabwe’s refusal to be arrested on Wednesday in Lusaka, Makai said the duo only made an application indicating that they wanted the court to restrain the Task Force from arresting them.

“We were not served with the court order to restrain us from arresting the duo and this is why we decided to move in and arrest them because they only served us with an application indicating their intentions to seek the court’s assistance,” Makai said.

“And our decision to arrest Chungu and Kabwe does not mean that we do not respect the decision of the judicial system in this country, it is just that we were not served with the court order on time.”

Makai said the Attorney General’s office had now received the court order to restrain the Task Force from arresting Chungu and Kabwe until the matter was resolved in court.

“We act through the Attorney General’s office and these people only served the court order later and this is why we wanted to follow the law since we were not informed about what has transpired,” he said.

On Wednesday, there was a ‘mini drama’ at the magistrates’ court complex in Lusaka when Chungu and Kabwe refused to be arrested and jumped into their lawyers’ car John Sangwa.

But officers from the Task Force on Corruption decided to surround and close the gates for about four hours to prevent Chungu and Kabwe from leaving the complex.

On 23rd December 2008, Lusaka High Court Judge Christine Phiri granted Chungu and Kabwe leave to apply for judicial review over the decision by the Task Force on Corruption requesting the duo to attend interviews at Woodlands Police station in connection with allegations of theft and corruption.

Labels: AARON CHUNGU, ACCESS FINANCIAL SERVICES, CORRUPTION, FAUSTIN KABWE, TASK FORCE

posted by MrK @ 1:03 PM