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RB Takes Immigration Officials to Court
By JIMMY CHIBUYE and TEDDY KUYELA
FORMER President Rupiah Banda has taken immigration officials to court after being stopped from travelling to South Africa yesterday.
And the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) says steps taken by immigration officers to stop Mr Banda from travelling abroad are not only illegal but they directly border on contempt of court.
Mr Banda was stopped from leaving the country by immigration officers at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka as Minister of Home Affairs Edgar Lungu maintained that the former leader may tamper with “evidence” and “witnesses” abroad.
Former president Rupiah Banda at State House a week before he was voted out
And reacting to the airport incident, LAZ said: “It is incumbent upon the Government as party to the proceedings to unconditionally comply with the ruling of the court.
“LAZ is not in any doubt that the advocates representing Mr Banda being senior members of the bar will take the necessary steps provided for in the law which are designed at ensuring that the law visits upon the perpetrators of this clear contempt of court.”
Mr Banda, who arrived at the airport at about 06:45 hours, was ushered into the VIP lounge, where immigration officers told him that he would not leave.
Later in an interview, Mr Lungu said, “Mr Banda has to remain in close proximity with investigators and the decision to halt his travel plans is totally unrelated to the court proceedings…the court matters are dealt with by the DPP while the investigations are driven by the police.”
The former President, facing corruption charges, reacted angrily to the order and said: “If they think I will run away from Zambia, I cannot because Zambia is my home.”
Seemingly shocked, he said he handed over power peacefully to President Sata because he wanted peace to prevail in Zambia.
Asked where the former first lady Thandiwe, who was seen boarding a South African Airways plane, was going, Mr Banda screamed at the reporter, demanding that his wife and children be left alone because they are not criminals.
“Why are you asking about my wife? Is she a criminal? What has she got to do with this issue? Leave my wife and my children alone because they are not criminals.
“My dear don’t be too excited about the little salary you are getting at the end of the month.”
When they were shown a court order signed by Lusaka High Court judge-in-charge Jane Kabuka who released Mr Banda’s passport, the immigration officers said they understood what the order said but could not allow Mr Banda to proceed.
Mr Banda, who was received at the airport by MMD Solwezi Central member of Parliament Lucky Mulusa and his administrative assistant Mikatazo Wakumelo accused Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mutembo Nchito and The Post editor-in-chief Fred M’membe of blocking him from travelling out of the country.
He also called for Mr Nchito’s resignation and challenged the DPP to declare interest in his cases.
“Mutembo Nchito must also stop prosecuting this case because there is no way he can be a prosecutor and at the same time a persecutor,” Mr Banda said.
He said the action of immigration authorities is “in total disregard of the entire court and judicial process in Zambia” which handed him his passport as he is not a security risk who is likely to run away.
“Being blocked from travelling is a total disregard of the judiciary. The decision of the judiciary has been flouted. It is very sad that The Post wrote an editorial comment trying to influence the judiciary. M’membe must not be involved in this case”, Mr Banda said.
He also accused President Sata of trying to draw him back into active politics.
And deputy administrative assistant to Mr Banda, Kennedy Limwanya said chief immigration officer Moola Milomo failed to give a satisfactory reason as to why he instructed his officers to stop Mr Banda from going to South Africa.
In April, Mr Banda was blocked at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport as he was about to board a Kenya Airways plane to attend the inauguration of that country’s President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi.
Yesterday, Mr Banda was expected to leave for South Africa to attend the 2013 African presidential roundtable meeting.
The Boston University African Presidential Centre had re-booked the flight of the former head of state on yesterday’s South African Airways departing Lusaka at 07:15 hours because the last flight on Thursday had already left by the time his passport was released.
Mr Banda’s slot at the discussion had been moved to yesterday and was expected to, among other things, moderate a session under the subject Making government work.
Other notable personalities attending the African presidential roundtable meeting are former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano, former Tanzanian president Ali Hassan Mwinyi, former South African president Thabo Mbeki, former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Martin Luther King Jnr, a professor of ethical leadership at Boston University.
The former acting president Edgar Lungu has insisted that as a man of means and given the gravity of criminal charges against him, “Mr Banda has the ability to contaminate the investigations once abroad and that cannot be allowed but every application he makes will be judged on its own merit without prejudice.”
Posted by Editor
on June 8, 2013. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
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casim
June 8, 2013 at 12:28 pm
deal with them RB
Andrew G
June 8, 2013 at 1:06 pm
RB should always be within reache so as we could access him whenever we want him,otherwise he requires to be caged so that we make more money in our pockets during da world tourism summit which will be taking place in the tourist capital L/stone
ING'OMBE ILEDE
June 8, 2013 at 1:10 pm
A country of ****** and idiots. this is a Government people are still happy with. we are yet to see the picture of PF AND DICTATOR SATA. Over praising the PF will cost Zambia the way we did with MMD and UNIP.
When this are wrong, please Zambians should talk.
Mr. Banda was cleared by the court, why should he be stopped from going out.
let us love our Zambia and Zambia does not belong to an individual. JESUS COME AGAIN UKWAPULE SATA
Bala Ngombe
June 8, 2013 at 9:24 pm
Ingombe Ilede, please if atall you are one of the beneficiaries of RB stolen money, keep you paws off MCS and just enjoy the money up to your grave. RSA is where his fugitive son stays together with his expatriate lawyer who has insulted all well meaning Zambians. There are a lot serious cases involving RB which are still under investigation both within and outside Zambia. Therefore, we can not allow him to go out and interfere with such investigations,let him stay here until we are through with him.
If found guilty he will be put behind bars together with those that he shared the money with. Him let FTJ off the hook but not MCS he will not do that.
kiduli
June 8, 2013 at 1:55 pm
) Chigidi akapa! Kekekeke! Sela tubombeko!
ndanje kaks
June 8, 2013 at 2:17 pm
Ba Mbuli ba Tumfweko why are you delting my postings ? I s RB your uncle
Abena PJ
June 8, 2013 at 5:30 pm
The high court judge should have considered the travel ban embargo placed on Rupiah by other investigative wings before ordering the release of his passport, otherwise they just embarass themselves. Each arm of the law has the duty to perform it’s functions diligently. Otherwise the courts embarass themselves just like they are doing to block the Judge Chikopa Tribunal from sitting because it involves some of their fellow judges.
wazanga
June 8, 2013 at 9:04 pm
Rb should not be allowed to leave the country he will go for good.let him answer charges nikazolo
Kabwe nabana
June 8, 2013 at 9:36 pm
This passport remains the property of the Government of the Republic of Zambia and may be withdrawn at anytime. It is a valuable document and should not be altered in any way or allowed to pass into the possession of an unauthorized person. If lost or destroyed, the fact and circumstances should be immediately reported to the near by polices station, passport office or Zambian Mission abroad or to the ministry of Home Affairs Lusaka. A new passport can only be issued in such cases after exhaustive enquiries – So it can be withdrawn anytime why the noise
Bawiso
June 8, 2013 at 9:43 pm
who is this now, mr RB even your daughter wife is laughing. let your media lawayers come to zambia and defend you. if they are not thieves who have helped people steal, let them represent you in court in zambia. they are ****** idiots who think they can make zambia look useless to others who need glasses. to be ****** and an ***** you need only a phone such as RB HAS BEING PAID FOR BY POOR ZAMBIANS
Kabwe nabana
June 8, 2013 at 10:00 pm
IAM VERY HAPPY TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH PF AND ITS GOVERNMENT UNDER THE ABLE LEADERSHIP OF HIS EXCELLENCE MR. CHILUFYA MICHEAL SATA- BRAVO PF
nshilimubemba
June 8, 2013 at 10:48 pm
this guy is crazy travelling for what his wife must be very happy to now have him around most of the days
moston
June 8, 2013 at 10:53 pm
traveling 4 what???? read the story sir.
ndanje kaks
June 9, 2013 at 7:08 am
MMD under RB thought they were untouchable. Old man just stay home and enjoy nshima with us.
Narrant
June 9, 2013 at 6:09 pm
RB would definitely not have come back from South Africa. He will be able to attend such functions if and when he is acquitted of all charges levelled against him.
isaac
June 10, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Had this RB went, am sorry he wouldn’t have come back. He was supposed to accompanied by his wife and children a big sign that coming back was not possible. So cage him!