SABOI CAUTIONS ‘VINDICTIVE’ AKAFUMBA
By KETRA KALUNGA
JOSEPH Akafumba should tone down and stop the hate against the Patriotic Front, it is not in his capacity to push law enforcement agencies to prosecute former ruling party officials alleged to have been involved in corrupt activities, National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader, Saboi Imboela has said.
Ms Imboela said Mr. Akafumba, being a lawyer should be the last person to call for quick prosecution of PF officials for alleged corruption as the due process of the law needed to be followed.
Ms Imboela’s reaction follows demands by the NDC faction leader, Mr Akafumba that law enforcement agencies expedite investigations into suspected corruption activities by some PF officials, saying they had become too comfortable.
Ms Imboela however urged Mr Akafumba to tone down as it was irresponsible for him to incite a witch-hunt against former ruling party officials.
She said in an interview that it was shocking that only two months after leaving office, some PF members who held senior positions in government were being accused of corruption.
Ms Imboela said law enforcement agencies needed to investigate issues thoroughly instead of making hasty decisions.
“Mr. Akafumba should know better being a lawyer, to let due process of the law take its course. It’s just been two months since the PF came out of power,” she said.
She said it’s important for the law enforcement agencies to do a thorough investigation of all alleged cases of corruption to avoid unfair prosecution.
Ms. Imboela said any unfair prosecution would cost the government money in form of damages to the one who is prosecuted unfairly.
And Ms. Imboela said it was unfortunate that some people labelled anyone who did business with PF as a thief.
She said Zambians should know that every citizen had the right to do business with the government.
“There is this misconception that everyone who did business with PF is a thug, which is very sad because people have the right to do business with the government,” Ms. Imboela said.