AG to challenge K1.6bn claim

 Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda says he will challenge the K1.6 billion compensation claim by former presidential adviser on special duties Pastor Martin Thom, arguing the claim is baseless.

In an interview on Tuesday, he said there is no precedent of a compensation claim as huge as the amount Thom is claiming for an arrest.

He said: “Our argument is that the K1.6 billion compensation claim is baseless, there are no comparative decisions to such a claim. Looking at the records, we haven’t seen any compensation claim of that nature going above K20 million.”

However, Thom’s lawyer Sylvester Ayuba James said in an interview they are making an application for a summary judgement of the matter.

“It is up to the court to make that decision on whether our defence is hopeless or not,” he said in reaction to the AG’s assertion.

James justified his client’s claim, saying the former presidential aide lost an opportunity to do his PhD studies as his scholarship was withdrawn following the arrest.

“His business partners also terminated their contracts as the arrest portrayed that he was a thief, crook and was dismissed on the position of presidential aide because of corruption,” he said.