London judgment still in force – British govt

London judgment still in force – British govt
By Patson Chilemba
Sat 28 Aug. 2010, 04:00 CAT

THE London judgment is still in force, British High Commissioner to Zambia Tom Carter stated yesterday.

Responding to a press query on President Rupiah Banda’s scathing attacks on the donors, asking them to pack their bags if they are fed up with Zambia following their demands to have judge Evans Hamaundu’s judgment in favour of former president Frederick Chiluba appealed, High Commissioner Carter stated that the London High Court judgment had not been overturned.

“The London Judgment is still in force. It was not overturned on appeal. The Zambian government won the case. Appeals were allowed only on two sub-sections of the case relating to alleged money-laundering offences by two defendants,” High Commissioner Carter stated.

“The Zambian government have already recovered, in Belgium and elsewhere, substantial sums of money as a result of the London Judgment.”

High Commissioner Carter stated that there had been allegations about a request to extradite former Zambian High Commissioner to the United States Attan Shansonga from the United Kingdom.

“The British government cannot comment on extradition issues. It is longstanding policy and practice that the United Kingdom will neither confirm nor deny that it has received an extradition request unless and until the subject of the request has been arrested in relation to the request,” he stated.

High Commissioner Carter stated that the British government was pursuing the matter with the Zambian authorities on government-to-government channels.

“However, because Mr Shansonga was resident in England he fell under the jurisdiction of London courts. He was tried as a defendant in the above case, found liable, and the Zambian authorities subsequently recovered significant sums of money from him,” he stated.

High Commissioner Carter stated that the British government had supported the Zambian government in the fight against corruption, and continued to do so.

He stated that through the Department for International Development (DFID), over the last 10 years the British government had provided 12 million pounds to the Zambian authorities to support the anti-corruption efforts.

High Commissioner Carter stated that the British government had been following recent statements in the media relating to the London judgment against Chiluba and others.

“We note with concern that a number of false allegations have been made about the involvement of the British government. The facts are as follows: The case against former President Chiluba and others was brought to the London Courts by the Zambian government. The British government had no role in that,” stated High Commissioner Carter.

“The British government have made no public comment on the issue of registration of the London Judgment in Zambia.”

President Banda on Thursday attacked the donors and Zambians who are demanding an appeal against judge Hamaundu’s decision to throw out the application by the state to register the London judgment against Chiluba and others.

He said some Zambians should be ashamed of being agents of foreign countries.
President Banda said if the donors were fed up with Zambia, they should pack their bags and go where they came from.