SUSPENDED Anti-Corruption Commission acting director Ireen Lamba yesterday refused to take plea in a matter where she is accused of disobeying the provisions of the ACC Act saying the charges against her are deceitful.

When the matter came up before magistrate Humphrey Chitalu yesterday, Lamba’s lawyer Nsunka Sambo told the court that his client felt that the charges on the indictment were vexatious and very deceitful as they were not derived from the law.

He also submitted that Lamba would be obliged to take plea if proper identification of her actions was presented.

Sambo also argued that there was a discrepancy on her identity as acting ACC director general as President Edgar Lungu did not appoint her nor did Parliament ratify her.

Sambo told the court that section 9(6) of the ACC Act, which was on the indictment, did not legally apply to the accused person.

But in response, ACC lawyers Robinson Malipenga and Billingtone Mosha argued that the charges were not deceitful.

Malipenga described the application as misconceived saying the defence came up with their own section of law which was not on the indictment.

After hearing the defence submissions, Magistrate Chitalu told both parties that he needed time to look at the provisions of the law before making a ruling.

He adjourned the case to February 17 for ruling on the application.

It is alleged in this matter that Lamba, between January 1 and 11,2017, in Lusaka jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown willfully disobeyed the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2012 by discharging the duties of a legal practitioner by engaging in financial matters and business transactions in a law firm while holding the office and performing the functions of director at ACC.

Lamba also allegedly breached the trust affecting the public by discharging duties of another office of emolument in the country while performing functions of the director general.