State action shocks Mundubile, Makebi lawyers
By Adrian Mwanza
TREASON charged opposition National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) leader Brian Mundubile’s lawyers say they’re shocked that the State is stopping them from seeing their client at Mukobeko Maximum Security Correctional Facility.
Mukobeko is about two hours drive from the capital city, Lusaka.
In an interview with The Mast one of the lawyers, Chifumu Banda, said they were shocked that they had been barred from seeing their clients who were currently being held at Mukobeko Maximum Security Correctional Facility charged with treason.
Banda said the lawyers were told that authorities had been given clear instructions not to allow the lawyers by “the powers that be”.
“We do not know who gave the directive but what we have been told is that the directive has been given by the powers that be,” he said.
He said it was quite shocking because it was his client’s legal right to have legal representation and not what was transpiring.
Banda said this was the worst form of injustice because the accused needed to engage their lawyers because it was their right.
He said it was clear that there was a hand in the background that was trying to bar the lawyers from contacting their clients.
“I think it’s very disheartening that people are being denied their legal right and we are going to continue going there until we have access to them,” Banda said.
He said Sakwiba Sikota who was part of the legal team had gone to visit the treason accused but had also been denied access to his clients.
And when quizzed on what actions they would take should the authorities remain adamant, Banda said the legal team would consider other options.
“If it goes to the worst then we are going to look at other options which we are going to inform the nation at a later stage,” he said.
