Malawi Judge receives formal appointment to head Zambian Tribunal

Malawian Judge Lovemore Chikopa has received his appointment letter from Zambian President Michael Sata enabling hi m to fly to Zambia next week to preside over the tribunal set up to investigate three suspended judges of that country.

Zambia’s Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice-President, Edgar Lungu, who was tasked as President Sata’s special envoy delivered the letter to Justice Chikopa in Lilongwe on Monday.

However, Lungu said there had been a delay in delivering the letter but hoped that Justice Chikopa would arrive in Zambia next week to begin the tribunal hearings.

Edgar Lungu (right) hands over a letter of appointment to Malawian judge Lovemore Chikopa in Lilongwe yesterday. President Sata recently suspended three Zambian judges over allegations of professional misconduct. The President has since appointed Judge Chikopa to lead a tribunal to probe the allegations. Judge Chikopa has accepted the appointment. - Picture courtesy of the Zambian High Commission to Malawi.

First Secretary for Press at the Zambian Embassy in Lilongwe, Chansa Kabwela, confirmed the development in a media statement.

Kabwela said Lungu’s task was to deliver the appointment letter which also included the terms of reference.

According to the terms of reference, the tribunal would inquire into the judges conduct in relation to the manner in which he presided over hearing and determination of the case of Development Bank of Zambia versus Post Newspaper limited, JCN Holdings limited and Mutembo Nchito.

The suspended trio are Judge Musonda and High Court judges Charles Kajimanga and Nigel Mutuna.

The tribunal would specifically inquire into charges that Justice Mutuna misbehaved or acted incompetently when he proceeded to hear and determine the matter without a formal order transferring the matter from Justice Albert Mark Wood before whom the matter had been heard.

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