By GRACE CHAILE-LESOETSA
THE Constitutional Court has ordered the 63 ministers who continued to earn a salary after dissolution of Parliament between May and July 2016 to pay back the money to the State within 30 days from the date of ruling.
The 63 will refund to the State a total amount of over K3.7 million with each expected to pay more than K50,000.
This is according to a Constitutional Court ruling on assessment of salaries and allowances to be refunded to the State by the 63 which they were paid from May 12 to August 8, 2016.
Among the former ministers to refund the State include NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili, Emerine Kabanshi, Alexander Chikwanda, Dora Siliya and Panji Kaunda.
In this matter, the State through the Attorney General’s Chambers had asked the Constitutional Court to assess the amount that ministers who continued to earn a salary after dissolution of Parliament in 2016 were required to pay back.
This follows a judgement of the Constitutional Court , which ordered the ministers to payback emoluments accrued during that period.
The judgement was as a result of a matter where LAZ and UPND through its secretary- general Steven Katuka, challenged the continued stay in office of the ministers after Parliament was dissolved ahead of the 2016 general elections.
PF secretary-general, then Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula and 63 others were petitioned in their personal capacities.
Secretary to Treasury, Fredson Yamba submitted to the court that the total amount recoverable from the former cabinet ministers and former deputy ministers for the period between May to July 2016 is K4, 266, 664.10.
“That regards to the issue of repatriation allowances, the correct figure to be paid to the former cabinet ministers and former deputy ministers is K8, 000 each. My office has thus duly re-computed the summary for net pays and allowances to be recovered from ministers taking into account the K8, 000,” Mr Yamba said.
In its ruling delivered by Constitutional Court registrar Ms Dorcus Malama yesterday, the court said the former deputy minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Raymond Lukonde Mpundu would not refund the State as he was not a party to the main proceedings before the Constitutional Court which culminated into the judgement of August 8, 2016.
Ms Malama therefore said the total number of ministers to refund the State are 63 in total.
She said a total of 11 days’ worth of the salaries and allowances earned by each of the 63 in the month of May, 2016 was deducted.
“I have assessed the respective amounts of salaries and allowances that the 2nd and 64th respondents shall each refund to the State as tabulated below. The assessed amounts shall be paid within 30 days from date of this ruling,” the Constitutional Court ruled.
Ministers have 30 days to pay back
