By GRACE CHAILE LEOETSA
A STATE Counsel, Henry Mbushi, trading as HBM Advocates has been sued in the Lusaka High Court by a client for allegedly squandering and failing to remit his client’s settlement money in the sum of K2 million.
Mr Job Mabuti has complained that Government paid into HBM Advocates’ bank account, K2 million as compensation for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.
Mr Mabuti alleged HBM had refused to pay over the said money received on his behalf.
He is therefore demanding for payment of K2, 000, 000.00 owed which money the lawyer had received as damages for false imprisonment from government.
He is also demanding damages for breach of trust, deprivation of use of funds received for his benefit and interest on the said debt.
In a statement of claim, Mr Mabuti stated that HBM and the firm of Messrs Muleza Mwiimbu and Company also of Lusaka represented him in a suit for recovery of damages for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution in the matter under cause number 231/HP/2015 he sued the Attorney General.
He stated that through a consent judgement, the State agreed to pay him K2 million in damages together with the amount of K300, 000 as legal costs. Mr Mabuti said in a letter dated May 19, 2023, Messrs Muleza Mwiimbu and Company wrote to the office of the Solicitor General at the Ministry of Justice to inquire if any payment had been made towards settlement of the plaintiff’s damages and costs in the matter.
“By letter dated May 31, 2023 the office of the Solicitor General responded to the letter from Messrs Muleza Mwiimbu and Company and confirmed that the government of the Republic of Zambia had paid the sum of K2, 300,000.00 being K2, 000,000.00 as damages for false imprisonment for the plaintiff and K300, 000.00 as party to costs to the account of Messrs HBM advocates (the defendant) held at Stanbic bank,” he said.
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