By GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA
PROFESSIONAL Teachers Union of Zambia (PROTUZ) has sought leave to apply for judicial review against the Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC)’s decision to restrict its account at Zanaco Bank.
The union wants to challenge Zanaco’s decision to give effect to the letter of restriction from ACC in breach of banker-customer relationship and without a court order.
It has cited ACC and Zanaco as the first and second respondents in the matter.
PROTUZ is seeking an order of cetiorari to remove into the Lusaka High Court and quash the ACC’s decision to restrict its account no. 5766743500118 held at Zanaco’s Woodlands branch.
It wants the court to declare that it is the rightful owner of the account and an order to quash the decisions of the two respondents.
PROTUZ is also seeking a declaration that the two acted without consideration of the due process of law and Zanaco breached the laws governing banker-customer relation by enforcing the restriction notice.
It wants damages arising from the matter and if leave is granted, that the hearing of the application be expedited.
In its affidavit supporting the notice of application for judicial review, PROTUZ head of administration Mathews Nkhata stated that on March 10, this year, ACC acting director general Rosemary Nkonde wrote a letter to Zanaco to restrict its account, purportedly pursuant to the Anti-Corruption Act no.3 of 2012. PROTUZ claims that it was never informed by ACC the reasons for the restriction of the account leaving it to speculate and conclude malice as this has happened before under cause no 2018/HP/1050, a matter which was resolved by way of withdrawal
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