LAZ DENIES BACKING LAWYER FOR STATE COUNSEL

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 09:07:58 +0000

By Nation Reporter

LAW Association of Zambia has refuted claims that they intend to propose Dr Leonard Nkole Kalinde for consideration to the status of State Counsel despite a track record of professional misconduct recorded in his line of duty for the Bank of Zambia.

LAZ president Linda Kasonde said there has not been a meeting held for the consideration of names as a proposed list for conferring them with State Counsel status.

Ms Kasonde said LAZ has not made any selections for those thought as deserving of such recommendations yet.

“We have not sat to make consideration to that effect, but should we do, I am sure you would be aware of such decisions,” she said.

But an inside source has revealed to the Daily Nation that LAZ already shortlisted the former Bank of Zambia legal counsel, Dr Kalinde for the highest attained status in the legal fraternity despite cases of professional misconduct against him.

The Lusaka High Court in February 2013 delivered a ruling against Dr Kalinde after it was found that the lawyer had deliberately misdirected the central bank against carrying out disciplinary action against a named employee who would have put Dr Kalinde in a compromised situation.

This was in the case involving Access Financial Services Limited and Access Leasing Services Limited under liquidation which matter was allegedly mismanaged.

Justice Mubanga Kondolo in his ruling explained that there was sufficient evidence to the charge and a prima facie case established that revealed improper purpose to advise BoZ management not to hold disciplinary hearings against a named employee.

Justice Kondolo explained that under such circumstances, it would have been against public policy for legal professional privilege to be at play, and dismissed such application.

And LAZ, in response to the complaint by Aaron Chungu and Faustin Kabwe of Access Financial Service and Access Leasing Services Limited over Dr Kalinde, said the BoZ legal counsel intended to mislead his client by advising the Bank to hide information that was found by the court.