Maravi

Sata's stance on corruption cheers Sullivan

Sata's stance on corruption cheers Sullivan
By Ernest Chanda
Sat 30 June 2012, 13:25 CAT

MICHAEL Sullivan, the UK lawyer who prosecuted late president Frederick Chiluba's theft case in London, says President Michael Sata is the standard bearer in the fight against corruption.

Sullivan said he was encouraged by the new government's intention to revisit the case and have the 2007 London High court judgment registered in Zambia. He said President Sata had picked up from where late president Levy Mwanawasa left in the fight against corruption.

"I am aware that a proposal to re-consider registration of the London judgment is being considered by Cabinet. The re-consideration of the registration of the London judgment is a significant statement of intent by the Sata government that under its stewardship, Zambia will respect and uphold the rule of law," said Sullivan in an interview on Thursday.

"It is a declaration to the people that all are equal before the law and that privileged positions and wealth will not confer preferential treatment in or before the courts of law. It is hugely encouraging to see President Sata as the standard bearer in the fight against corruption, picking up where the late president Levy Mwanawasa left off, having so courageously led Zambia in the fight against powerful corrupt forces."

In May 2007, Chiluba was found liable by the London High Court to defrauding Zambians of about US$47 million, some of which he spent on personal clothes.

But in August 2010, Lusaka High Court judge Evans Hamaundu refused to have the case registered in Zambia on the basis that the Foreign Judgments Ordinance 12 of 1959 repealed the British and Colonial Judgments Act.

He said at the time, no alternative legal provision had been made for the registration of judgments obtained in the superior courts of the United Kingdom.

And most senior MMD members under Rupiah Banda's regime were against the registration of the London judgment. This was after Chiluba started campaigning for the MMD and Banda.

But Justice minister Sebastian Zulu said he had prepared a memorandum to Cabinet, which seeks to have the case registered locally.

Labels: CORRUPTION, FREDERICK CHILUBA, MICHAEL SATA

posted by MrK @ 12:10 AM