K6.4M UPND cadres’ Compensation Criminal – KBF

By NATION REPORTER 

THE consent judgment that has seen the State awarding a whooping K6.4 million to each of the UPND cadres who were arrested and detained for treason along with President Hakainde Hichilema while in opposition is nothing but a criminal act meant to defraud Zambians, Kelvin Bwalya Fube has said.

Mr Bwalya, the leader of Zambia Must Prosper (ZMP) says the consent judgement entered into by the Attorney General, Mulilo Kabesha to compensate the five UPND cadres K6.4 million who were detained for treason in 2017 was not only day light robbery but meant to disingenuously and fraudulently empower undeserving cadres. 

Speaking at a media briefing yesterday, Mr. Bwalya said President Hichilema and his co-accused were not acquitted in that treason case but were discharged through a nolle prosequi and could not therefore be eligible to be compensated.

He said according to the laws of Zambia, a person could only be compensated when they were acquitted, and where they successfully sue the state and prove their case for malicious prosecution by the state.

Mr. Bwalya further said a nolle prosequi was not an acquittal because government or the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) would bring back the case if evidence so permits, fresh investigations were instituted and fresh witnesses were found.

He also warned Mr. Kabesha, the Attorney General, to reconsider the compensation that was being proposed for the treason case, saying he is a student of law and he ought to do the right thing.

Mr. Bwalya said Zambia was a very poor country for people to start wasting tax payers’ money by falsely compensating each other at the detriment of the general citizenry.

He said what made the compensation demand even more suspicious was that the UPND members that was arrested in the treason case did not even sue government. He said if they did, people should know which judge sat to evaluate the case and declared that these people were entitled to K6.4 million as compensation.  

Meanwhile Mr. Bwalya said there were a lot of scandals surrounding the presidency including the abuse of law to compensate close associates to the President. He urged Zambians closely start scrutinising and make their own judgement.

Mr. Hichilema (then as opposition leader) and five others, in May of 2021, commenced legal action in the Lusaka High Court asking the State to pay compensatory damages equivalent in value to monies lost and the property that was looted, damaged and destroyed at his home. This was during what he termed as an unlawful operation to arrest him on charges of treason carried out on April 10 and 11 of 2017.

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