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(LUSAKATIMES) Magande defends Sata’s Malawian judge appointment

Magande defends Sata’s Malawian judge appointment.
TIME PUBLISHED - Friday, May 4, 2012, 7:53 am

Judge Chikopa -Malawian high Court judge chosen to head the Tribunal

National Movement for Progress president Ng’andu Magande says there is nothing wrong with President Michael Sata’s appointment a foreign judge to head a Zambian tribunal. Mr. Magande has wondered why people should be concerned about President Sata’s move to appoint a Malawian judge to head a tribunal instituted to investigate the three suspended Judges.

On Monday, president Sata suspended Justices Philip Musonda, Charles Kalimanja and Nigel Mutuna for alleged misconduct and appointed Malawian high court Judge Lovemore Chipoka to head the constituted tribunal.

Mr. Magande says president Sata only appointed a foreign judge to head the tribunal because he wants a panel that is not dented with local politics.

Speaking to QFM, Mr. Magande says if president Sata had appointed a local judge to head the team, the same people questioning the president's move would have complained of biasness.

And Mr. Magande says the suspension of the three high court Judges is not important stating that what is more important is the investigations into their conduct.

He says what President Michael Sata should now do is to ensure that the many commissions of inquiry instituted finish the investigations on time so that the nation can forge ahead with other important issues such as employment creation.

Mr. Magande however says the three suspended judges should be given a platform to clear themselves since they are still innocent until proven guilty.

And Get Involved Zambia has welcomed the suspension of the three Judges for alleged misconduct by republican President Michael Sata.

Father Bwalya hoped that the action taken by the republican president is the beginning of the long awaited judicial reforms.

He has however cautioned Zambians against passing guilty verdicts on the three suspended even before the tribunal concludes its work.

Father Bwalya says President Sata should be commended for the action he taken, stating that he was merely responding to complaints raised by stakeholders.

He says the government should go a step further by ensuring that alleged politically engineered judgments in the past regime are investigated.

President Sata has suspended Supreme Court Judge Philip Musonda together with High court Judges Nigel Mutuna and Charles Kajimanga for suspected professional misconduct.

QFM

Labels: CORRUPTION, FRANK BWALYA, JUDICIARY, MALAWI, MICHAEL SATA, NG'ANDU MAGANDE

posted by MrK @ 7:19 PM