GILBERT Phiri, the new Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has revoked the immunity agreement that was granted to former Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Provisional Liquidator Mr Milingo Lungu to open criminal proceedings against him.
And Mr Phiri has declared that he is going to embark on an aggressive and robust asset recovery campaign and ensure that criminals do not benefit from their ill-gotten gains.
Addressing the media yesterday, National Prosecution Authority (NPA) spokesperson Chali Hambayi said the lifting of immunity granted to Mr Lungu had been done in line with the power vested in the DPP by article 180 of the constitution.
Ms. Hambayi said Mr Phiri had reviewed the immunity agreement granted to Mr Lungu not to institute criminal proceedings against the former KCM Provisional Liquidator.
She stated that following the lifting of immunity, all criminal proceedings against Mr Lungu shall be revived and restored so that he could clear his name.
“The DPP has reviewed the immunity agreement granted to former Konkola Copper Mines Liquidator Milingo Lungu pursuant to the powers vested in the DPP by Article 180 of the Constitution and Section 8 of the laws of Zambia.
“The said agreement being a decision to not institute criminal proceedings against the said Milingo Lungu has been revoked,” Ms Hambayi said. Ms Hambayi said the Asset Forfeiture department was key in the fight against corruption and financial crimes would henceforth commit to an aggressive and robust asset recovery campaign to ensure that suspected criminals did not benefit from the ill begotten gains.
Ms Hambayi said the DPP would ensure that proceeds of crime should be taken away from the criminals and returned to individual victims and Zambians as a whole.
“The full weight of the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act will be brought to bear on all criminals without fear or favour to ensure that it does not pay and leave the criminals with nowhere to hide,” Ms Hambayi said.
She said the appeals department would take a leading role to work with the key partners such as the Judiciary, Correctional Services to ensure that all matters in which notices of appeal had been filed were disposed of to make sure that the backlog was cleared.
Ms. Hambayi also said to ensure that all matters pending sentence by the High Court were disposed of and all matters whose sentence imposed by the Subordinate Court require confirmation by the High Court were disposed of.
