K6.4M COMPENSATION TO UPND CADRES IS CRIMINAL – CHANGALA

By NATION REPORTER

THE continued trend by the State to politically reward UPND cadres with colossal sums of public money on grounds of false imprisonment without a successful court process is but a brazen act of criminality, conspiringly being perpetrated by State and the party in government, Brebnar Changala has charged.

Mr Changala, a longtime civil rights and political activist has described the compensation of five UPND cadres including President Hakainde Hichilema’s senior Private Secretary with a whopping K6.4 million through a consent judgement as a criminal act being entertained by the State.

Mr Changala said the claimed recompense of K6.4 million to President Hichilema’s co-accused in his treason charge while in opposition was an immoral exercise upon which the head of State and Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha should make serious reflection.

The State has consented to a judgement that the five UPND members who were arrested together with President Hakainde Hichilema for treason in 2017 be compensated a total sum of K32 million

Mr  Mulilo Kabesha has consented to an order which would see each of the appellants receive K6.4 million the order has since been filed in the Lusaka High Court and dated August 14, 2023 signed by both the State and the appellants.

The five include Wallace Chakawa, President Hichilema’s senior Private Secretary, Mr Hamusonde Hamaleka, Mr Pretorius Haloba, Mr Laston Mulilanduba and Mr Muleya Hachinda.

But Mr Changala accused the UPND of conspiring with the State to defraud Zambians through what he termed fraudulent consent orders which has so far seen as many ruling party cadres being awarded huge sums of money on grounds of either malicious prosecution of false imprisonment.

“The decision to award five UPND cadres K6.4 million as costs in a consent judgement is blatant thievery. One day, the things which the UPND is doing will back fire because the law must be applied equally and fairly.”

“Some nolle prosequis are as old as 16-17 years old yet there has not been any compensation. Why is it that fresh nolle prosequis, which are less than three years have been compensated? In any case, when one is discharged on a nolle, they are not entirely discharged. And when did the people who have been compensated sue the State for compensation when they were discharged on a nolle,” Mr Changala wondered.

Mr Changala said the trend that had come under the new dawn administration was scary and worrisome.

He said from the day President Hichilema was sworn in, their members and only them had been going to court and through the Attorney General, had entered consent judgements in which they were swindling the tax payers. 

Mr Changala said UPND cadres were not the only citizens who were maliciously prosecuted and offered a nolle prosequi as there were many Zambians who were maliciously prosecuted and had nolle prosequi entered in their favour.

Mr Changala gave an example of himself, Emily Sikazwe, Inonge Wina and Petronella Chisanga as some of the personalities who were prosecuted and had nolles in their favour but had never been compensated.

“I have had eight (8) nolle prosequis which were entered but they had never been compensated for it. The Attorney General is a conspirator in this chaotic and hemorrhaging financial matter at the treasury” Mr Changala said

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