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Singogo’s conviction has sent right signals – Malila

Singogo’s conviction has sent right signals – Malila
Written by Mwala Kalaluka
Wednesday, January 14, 2009 9:54:59 AM

ATTORNEY General Mumba Malila yesterday said the conviction of former Zambia Air Force (ZAF) commander Lieutenant General Singogo to six years for corruption has sent the right signals to potential offenders.

And Malila observed that it is not surprising that some lawyers resort to desperate means when they realise that their client is going in for a criminal offence.

Meanwhile, Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) chapter president Reuben Lifuka said the conviction of Lt Gen Sigongo by Chief Resident Magistrate Charles Kafunda on Monday should make President Rupiah Banda prioritise the cleaning up of the public service as his core business.

In an interview after officiating at a Global Transparency Fund (GTF) regional workshop for Africa at Lusaka's Courtyard Hotel, Malila said Singogo's conviction had sent the right message that corruption did not pay. “The law has taken its course and we are all satisfied and obviously Lt Gen Singogo is appealing,” Malila said. “And again the law will take its course.”

However, Malila said although the decision of the court was good, it was not yet final at this stage in view of the appeal process.

“We are yet to have the final verdict,” he said.

Malila further noted that the conviction was yet another milestone in the fight against corruption.

He also said the Task Force on Corruption would not shy away from being audited when the time to do so came.

He was responding to questions on whether the government would allow the auditing of the Task Force on Corruption, as demanded by some sections of the Zambian society.

Malila said the Task Force on Corruption had been very transparent and that they had not hidden the fact that a lot of money had been spent in the fight against corruption.

“They are ready for any such audit,” he said.

And on the move by Singogo's defence team of filing in a notice of appeal before Magistrate Kafunda passed sentence on Monday afternoon, Malila said he was not surprised by the action because sometimes, desperation crept in among lawyers when it dawned on them that their client was going to jail.

“These typically are legal questions that arise in court and I will not be surprised. Lawyers are paid to do the best for their clients,” he said. “It does not surprise us if there was that kind of attitude in court.”

During the sentencing, Magistrate Kafunda described the action by the defence as an exhibition of lack of patience for court procedures and that he found it improper.

And in his official speech at the workshop, Malila said the effects of corruption were far-reaching and disastrous and urged TI's Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre (ALAC) initiative to ensure that members of the public demanded high levels of integrity and accountability among public officials.

“We the major stakeholders therefore, have no choice but to respond positively to such well-meaning initiatives,” he said. “This being the case, it is imperative that we change the approach in combating corruption. We need to shift from the legalistic approach, though important, to citizens empowerment through friendly and cost free measures such as ALACS.”

Malila said successful results following the implementation of ALAC and other interventions in partner government institutions had already started showing to the country's benefits of a transparent, effective and accountable governance system.

Meanwhile, Lifuka agreed with Magistrate Kafunda's observation that Singogo's case was an illustration of the endemic nature of corruption in the country's bureaucracy, which needed to be uprooted.

“The observation by the court is totally correct, the endemic nature of corruption, not only in the public service but also in the private sector, is a serious matter of concern,” he said. “We have to look at the core that now the new administration has to clean up the civil service.”

Lifuka said the conviction of Singogo raised serious questions of accountability in terms of defence spending, especially that this expenditure was usually shrouded in secrecy.

“It also shows the predictability of our legal system that every person has his day in the courts of law whether they are senior people or not,” he said. “It will serve as a serious deterrence to those that are still serving.”

He urged President Banda to make a firm statement over the fight against corruption as he opens parliament this Friday.

And Lifuka said the global financial crisis could trigger an increase in the levels of corruption, as businesses strive to keep afloat amidst the economic recession.

He said the global community was looking at Africa's abundant natural resources as a rescue mechanism from the global financial and economic recession.

Lifuka said the inglorious issue of corruption in most African countries was nevertheless killing this perception.

Labels: CHRISTOPHER SINGOGO, MUMBA MALILA, RUEBEN LIFUKA, TIZ

posted by MrK @ 9:56 AM