LAZ abusing its authority

Wed, 26 Apr 2017 11:32:34 +0000

By NATION REPORTER

IT IS an abuse of authority and abrogation of their legal mandate that the Law Association of Zambia is providing legal aid in a criminal case to somebody earning up to US$100,000 a month, private lawyer Tutwa Ngulube has charged.

Mr Ngulube said there was nowhere in the LAZ mandate which stated that that the association would provide legal services to members facing court cases.

He said LAZ had no mandate to represent anybody before court as it was neither a law firm nor the Legal Aid Board in its definition.

“LAZ is not a law firm to be representing people before the courts, and we would like to understand in what capacity the association chose to represent Fred M’membe who can ably afford to pay any lawyer to represent him in the Post Newspaper in Liquidation case before the High Court. Did he ask them to represent him?

“In what capacity are they representing him when they are not Legal Aid Board? This LAZ executive is merely showing us they are corrupt, that they are an extention of the famous cartel that wanted to seize power from the Government,” he said.

Mr Ngulube, who is Kabwe Central Member of Parliament, said there was no justification in the appointment of lawyers to represent billionaire Fred M’membe when there were a number of lawyers appearing before different courts without legal representation.

He said Mr M’membe could hire any lawyer in the country and beyond Zambia and wondered how LAZ came in the picture even if he was a member.

“There are many lawyers out there who have appeared before court on their own, among them Keith Mweemba, Nsunka Sambo, John Sangwa, SC, and Martha Mushipe, the latter currently appearing before the Lusaka Magistrates Courts.

“LAZ has never been there to represent them in any way even just as a friend of the court, so where is this coming from?” he asked.

Mr Ngulube said it was no wonder there was a revolt against the Linda Kasonde executive which had exhibited partisan traits in the matter it had evolved into a law firm.

He said LAZ should explain in what capacity they were providing legal aid to a billionaire and also what criteria they were using in joining some legal proceedings before different courts.

The parliamentarian said many people have wondered how LAZ has applied to be joined to become an interested party in cases it purports to be ‘‘special’’ and yet seemingly going against the cartel.

Mr Ngulube charged that such acts by LAZ were an abuse of authority and their mandate as a legal association, which he alleged was embarrassing the legal profession.