— There is too much delay in the dispensation of justice – Mongu Cop

There is too much delay in the dispensation of justice – Mongu Cop

Mongu, December 2, 2014, ZANIS —A Mongu police officer says  that there is too much delay in the delivery of justice for both civil and criminal matters in the courts.

Dominic Mubita, 36, of Sibutu Police Camp also says that pursuing legal matters  had also become excessively expensive therefore denying most underprivileged people access to justice.

Making an individual submission to the Fredrick Chomba Legal and Justice Reforms Commission on its second day of sitting at the Minister’s Conference room in Mongu, today Mr Mubita also submitted that judicial service delivery can only be improved if judges were appointed permanently at the provincial level.

“ I also propose that there should be an increase in the number of magistrates, prosecutors and Legal Aid Counsels in Zambia to enable efficiency in the disposing of cases”, said Mr Mubita.

And Mr Mubita also submitted that government should increase funding to the Legal Aid Board which is mandated to give legal services to the underprivileged at administrative cost so that the number of lawyers is increased to meet the demand for representation and therefore reduce the delays in execution of justice.

Another petitioner Richard Kwalombota, 72, of house number 1856 Libona Road in Mongu submitted that there were a lot of irregularities in the Zambia Police Service that are promoting corruption.

Mr Kwalombota also told the Commission that the Victim Support Unit should employ officers that are of a mature age because they handle sensitive cases involving marriage counselling adding that it was embarrassing for an elderly person like himself to disclose his matrimonial problems to someone young.

But Solicitor General Abraham Mwansa who is also the Vice chairperson of the Commission said allayed the fears by Mr Kwalombota that young officers should not give counsel to elderly people because they were specifically trained to do so.

And 72 year-old Bernard Silumesii wanted an assurance from the Commission chairperson Justice Chomba that his Commission’s final Report will be made public unlike previous experiences where most recommendations have gone unpublished.

Mr Silimesii referred to the Report of the Commission appointed to investigate the Mongu Riots which had not been released to the public today adding that the perception now was that findings that were deemed not to be in government favour were not made public.

However, Commission chairperson Justice Fredrick Chomba said it was not the responsibility of the Commission to publish the final Report but that the complaint had been raised by many petitioners and pledged to communicate to the appointing authorities the concern of the people.

‘’it is beyond the legal powers of the Commission to make assurance that the Report will be published because our mandate is to collect the views and make recommendations”, explained Justice Chomba.

The Commission will wind-up its two-days public sittings in Mongu today before proceeding to Senanga tomorrow and later on Friday in Kaoma.