—-State warns RB over media attacks

-Chief Government spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni says

It is disappointing that former President Mr Rupiah Banda has continued to issue unwarranted attacks against the Government through his lawyer Robert Amsterdam over the ongoing investigations for his alleged wrongdoing while in office.

Mr Sakeni, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services minister,  said It was very clear that Mr Banda has chosen to play politics on very serious allegations of wrongdoing that he is facing as the statements he is issuing through his lawyer clearly demonstrate this fact.

Mr Sakeni said as a responsible Government that respects the rule of law, government would like Mr Banda to receive adequate facilities through the established channels of the due process of the law  in defending himself.

“Mr Banda wants to tell lies even on straight forward matters. He claims that the Joint Investigations Team (JIT) postponed his  questioning to Friday to facilitate his arrest this weekend. However, we have established that it was actually Mr Banda’s lawyers who suggested Friday after the JGIT informed him that the questioning would continue on Thursday”, said Mr Sakeni.

The Minister said government would like, therefore, to warn Mr Banda, for the last time, to desist from defending his case through the media by issuing disparaging statements against the ongoing investigative process.

Mr Sakeni said should Mr Banda continue with this practice, Government will be left with no choice but to make public his very embarrassing details of his wrongdoing which the investigators have uncovered.

“We hope  he will then not complain that he is being tried in the media”, warned Mr Sakeni.