Maravi

Sata welcomes Magande tribunal

Sata welcomes Magande tribunal
Written by Patson Chilemba and Chibaula Silwamba
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 3:20:15 PM

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday said setting up a tribunal to probe Ng'andu Magande will be welcome because there has been too much witch-hunting from President Rupiah Banda.

Commenting on the petition by Chongwe resident Waziona Nkhwekwe to Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, urging him to set up a tribunal to probe former finance minister Magande for allegedly abusing his office when he supported the proposed deferment of Zambian Airways’ debts to government, Sata said the tribunal would reveal more truths than the accusations President Banda was peddling.

"Magande will be given the opportunity to say his side of the story. There has been too much witch-hunting against Magande by Rupiah Banda. He wants to divert attention from his corrupt government. The tribunal is going to exonerate Magande. So the earlier they set it up the better," Sata said during a press briefing at the PF secretariat.

And Magande has opted to remain silent over the petition by Nkhwekwe to justice Sakala to set up a tribunal to investigate his alleged abuse of office.

When contacted, Magande declined to comment on the proposed setting up of a tribunal.

"Like I said some weeks ago, I said I have no comment to make on all these happenings," said Magande yesterday. "No, I have no comment. Please save me!"

In his petition submitted to justice Sakala's office at the Supreme Court in Lusaka on Monday, Nkhwekwe stated that the allegations against Magande should be taken seriously and require immediate probe.

"The allegations have been made public and have received wide coverage and circulation in both print and electronic media," he stated.

Nkhwekwe stated that he was aware that the investigative wings were investigating the affairs of Zambian Airways but the allegations against Magande touched on his functions as a minister then and member of parliament now.

Magande is MMD Chilanga member of parliament.

And Sata charged that former president Frederick Chiluba should not attack him because he [Chiluba] lives in a very weak glass house.

Sata's remarks come in the wake of a lead story in the Monitor Newspaper where the former president has accused him and Lusaka Lawyer Dr Rodger Chongwe of lacking morals.

"Today he's not a former president because he has no immunity. I can drag him to court for anything he says. He must be careful because next time, I will buy summons for him to appear in the court. At the moment he's in a glass house. He should not throw stones because when he throws stones, his house will be broken," he said.

Sata observed that the country had reached a constitutional crisis since President Banda took office and that if the crisis was not properly handled, it would cause a clash.

He said President Banda had teamed up with Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa to disregard the Judiciary.

"For example we obtained an injunction against [Matero PF member of parliament] Faustina Sinyangwe. With impunity, the Speaker of the National Assembly and his clerk [Doris] Mwiinga ignored the injunction and allowed Sinyangwe to sit in Parliament. We have now on the 23rd March, 2009 obtained contempt proceedings for Faustina Sinyangwe and I hope and pray Faustina Sinyangwe will invite the Speaker and Mwiinga to come and be part of this," Sata said. "Her lawyers have admitted that she was in the wrong. They have applied for a stay of execution. But the Speaker knew very well that there was no stay of execution and yet he did not do anything."

Sata also said President Banda had appointed Peter Daka as minister of lands so that land in the country could be under the 'family tree'.

Labels: MAGANDE, SATA

posted by MrK @ 3:19 PM