High Court Gives Attorney General A Go Ahead To Sue Nakachinda For Contempt

The Lusaka High Court has granted the Attorney General, Mulilo Kabesha leave to commence contempt proceedings against PF Member of the Central Committee in Charge of Information and Publicity, Raphael Nakachinda over his alleged contemptuous remarks against the judiciary.
The court has also allowed Mr. Nakachinda to make some necessary applications regarding the matter.
On Tuesday, the Attorney General filed an affidavit in support of summons for leave to commence contempt proceedings.
Mr. Nakachinda is alleged to have said that President Hakainde Hichilema has been summoning judges to his house to persuade them to bring a one party state amidst the hearing of a judicial review application by Eight PF Members of Parliament who have challenged Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti’s decision to chase them from parliament after the nullification of their seats.
The Attorney General says Mr. Nakachinda’s uttered words mean and were understood by the public to mean that there is interference in the deliberations of the judges.
He submitted that the words used by Mr. Nakachinda are an interference with the administration of justice by giving an impression to the public that any outcome of the judges’ decision that will go against the applicants would have been as a result of the alleged threats or manipulation by the Republican President.
Mr. Kabesha says Mr. Nakachinda’s allegations are malicious, contemptuous and made with the intention to bring the judiciary into disrepute.
He further submitted that Mr. Nakachinda has damaged the reputation of the judiciary and brought its independence into question and therefore he must show cause why he must not be sent to prison for contempt of court.