Chikopa faces contempt charges in Zambia

Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Lovemore Chikopa is facing contempt of court charges in Zambia for allegedly disobeying a court order that stayed his tribunal proceedings.

The tribunal is probing three judges after President Michael Sata appointed it to investigate alleged professional misconduct by three judges.

However, the three sought judicial review, which was granted and the same acted as a stay of the tribunal.

Two of the suspended judges, Nigel Mutuna and Charles Kajimanga, last week applied for an order to commence contempt proceedings against Chikopa.

Media reports in Zambia quote court documents saying Mutuna and Kajimanga stated that the stay was ordered on June 5 2013 but Chikopa had continued to engage in acts contrary to the court’s order by issuing letters requesting witnesses to appear before the tribunal.

“With full knowledge of the Order of Stay of the proceedings of the said tribunal duly issued. Chikopa continued to sit and chair the tribunal and conducted hearings in July where evidence relating to the applicants was received from witnesses,” they are quoted as saying.

In their statement verifying ex-parte summons for an order for leave to commence committal proceedings against Chikopa as chairperson of the tribunal and his secretary Chipili Magayane, Mutuna and Kajimanga indicated that the alleged contempt of court case suspects’ conduct of proceeding with the hearings notwithstanding the order for a stay was disobedience of court proceedings.

Last week, the High Court in Lusaka ordered an immediate halt of the tribunal probing resigned Supreme Court Judge Philip Musonda for alleged professional misconduct.

The court observed that the tribunal should not continue to hear the allegations against Musonda until the determination of the judicial review sought by the retired judge.