ConCourt sets Jan 28 to determine how much ex-ministers owe

3rd January 2020

Local

Former Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Eddie Mwitwa speaks at a public discussion forum organized by News Diggers! In partnership with the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) at Southern Sun Hotel on September 11, 2018 – Picture by Tenson Mkhala

Local

Former Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Eddie Mwitwa speaks at a public discussion forum organized by News Diggers! In partnership with the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) at Southern Sun Hotel on September 11, 2018 – Picture by Tenson Mkhala

The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) says the matter in which the Constitutional Court is expected to determine the amounts of money former Cabinet Ministers must pay back, following an earlier ruling compelling them to do so, has been slated for January 28, 2020.

In a brief interview in Lusaka, Thursday, LAZ president Eddie Mwitwa confirmed the development, adding that the outcome of that hearing would determine the next necessary steps LAZ would take to ensure public funds were repaid.

“The matter is coming up for the application that the Attorney General has made for the courts to access the amounts that the ministers must pay back. The progress that has been made in what happens with that application will determine the direction that we have to take or the steps that we have to take moving forward. It is coming up on the 28th of January 2020 before the Registrar of the Constitution Court. That is the date when the matter is coming up for that application to determine how much they owe. It could be that on that day, the matter is adjourned for the Registrar to consider the submissions that both parties will make so it is a hearing, it is not the judgement day. The matter had delayed in court but at least we do have this date now,” said Mwitwa.

Last Friday, President Lungu’s Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Isaac Chipampe announced that progress of the illegal salaries earned from former Cabinet Ministers following the ConCourt ruling had reached a stage where some figures were being discussed between the Ministry of Finance and Cabinet Office.

“The last time I heard that, there were some figures that were being discussed in the Ministry of Finance and Cabinet. But I don’t have the latest on this issue,” replied Chipampe to a question posed to him for an update on the matter during a press briefing at State House.

On November 8, President Lungu told journalists at State House that the ConCourt ruling ordering the former ministers to repay public funds was questionable, adding at the time that he did not know how much was supposed to be repaid.