NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili has charged that it’s total madness for Lusaka lawyer Lewis Mosho to demand for K5 million from him and Mazabuka UPND MP Gary Nkombo in an application that lasted 10 minutes in court.
Last week, Mosho threatened to commence bankruptcy proceedings against Kambwili and Nkombo if they failed to pay K5 million within two days.
In May, Mosho’s law firm, Lewis Nathan Advocates, wrote to the two parliamentarians demanding K5 million as compensation after the Lusaka High Court threw out the dual’s petition to join the impeachment case with costs.
And in a follow-up letter addressed to their lawyers from Malambo and Company, CL Mundia and Company, Keith Mweemba and Advocates and PNP Advocates dated October 26, Lewis Nathan Advocates threatened bankruptcy proceedings.
But speaking to journalists at Lusaka Magistrates’ Court, Monday, Kambwili described Mosho’s demand as a joke of the year.
“Tell Mosho that, that is the greatest joke of the year! In fact, it’s not even a joke. If there is another word that can replace joke, that’s it. You go into court, make one application to be joinder to the case and when it is dismissed, you ask for K5 million? I should have been a lawyer. And I think all lawyers could have been flying by now. If he thinks he can make K5 million in 10 minutes, why hasn’t he been flying or why doesn’t he own the entire city of Lusaka? So, let him not play politics,” Kambwili said.
And Kambwili said Mosho should behave like a lawyer as opposed to playing politics.
He added that if Mosho wanted to go in the political scene, he would be bruised because they would be ready for him.
“So, tell Mosho that let him behave like a lawyer and not play politics. Because lawyers are supposed to live above board and they are supposed to have integrity in everything that they do. But if Mosho wants to come on the political scene, tell him he will be bruised because we will be ready for him,” Kambwili cautioned.
“And we know that he is Edgar Lungu’s surrogate. He’s a friend and does everything for Edgar Lungu; he does some transactions for him. We know everything and time for reckoning for him will come. But for him to start coming on the political scene, coming to our lane, he’s welcome. Because you cannot go to court, one application takes 10 minutes in court and you ask for K5 million. Tell him that, that is madness,” Kambwili added.
He observed that costs were paid at the end of the matter and to agree on costs, you must first call for taxation.
“Wonders will never seize, I do not expect a respectable lawyer like Mosho to behave like a villager. Mosho must know that all lawyers, their lives are like politicians’ lives on the ant hill for everybody to see. I will forgive Mosho because there’s a saying in English that: ‘ignorance knows no levels.’ One can be a lawyer, but he’s ignorant of the law of costs and taxation,” argued Kambwili.
“And he must note in case he doesn’t know as a lawyer that, costs are paid at the end of the matter, and to agree on costs, you must call for taxation. So, how does he go in a court for five minutes and think that I’m a very dull person who doesn’t know anything, tell Mosho that I’m very enlightened on these things.”