…as stakeholders believe the consent judgements are a way of plundering public funds to empower UPND zealots, leaders
By GRACE CHAILE
STAKEHOLDERS have challenged the new dawn administration to stop looting public resources through consent judgements under the guise that government officials and UPND members are being compensated.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”4,5,6″ ihc_mb_template=”2″ ]
Chilubi Member of Parliament, Mulenga Fube, said this act by the state must be condemned because it will deplete public resources.
The State has agreed to compensate the family of slain UPND supporter, Mapenzi Chibulo, K3.5 million for loss of life.
The Attorney General, Mr Mulilo Kabesha has also consented to pay legal costs in the sum of K500, 000.
This is according to a consent judgement filed in the Lusaka High Court dated November 8, 2023.
Lusaka High Court Judge, Charles Kafunda s yet to endorse the consent judgement.
And Minister of Transport and Logistics Frank Tayali will be given over K500, 000 as compensation for the trauma he suffered after a gun was pointed at him by a police officer.
But Mr Fube said this is an act of corruption.
Mr Fube said the police officer that pointed the gun at Mr Tayali should be the one to compensate and not the state.
“This act is a white-collar crime where people get the money through consent judgement and share money in the background,” he said.
And Mpika Member of Parliament Francis Robert Kapyanga has called on the Ministry of Justice to stop the looting of national resources being given to UPND cadres and leaders as compensation through consent judgements.
He said it is shocking that even cases that do not warrant compensation are being considered which theft is.
Mr Kapyanga said the government need to bring this to an end because the country is losing a lot of money which is supposed to be directed to other needy areas.
Meanwhile, Golden Party leader Jackson Silavwe said the huge number of senior UPND officials and friends of President Hakainde Hichilema who have sued and been compensated by the government is appalling.
“The irony of these cases is that they are settled and compensated out of court by the Attorney General and an individual is paid huge sums of money by the state. The latest being the Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mr Tayali who has collected his ‘cool K450, 000; from the same state he is employed as minister.
After all, President Hichilema and UPND suffered to liberate Zambian’s, so they must now benefit right? Already President Hichilema’s co accused lieutenants in the treason case have already collected a small amount of ‘K6.4m’ each as Mr Kabesha puts it,” he said.
He said “The objective of traditional and white-collar plunder is the same, to make individuals or a group wielding state power to maximally benefit from public money or coffers.
“In fact, those being paid by the state and their supporters feel justified to do so even when life saving institutions like the cancer disease hospital don’t have equipment or medicines,” Mr Silavwe said.
[/ihc-hide-content]
