Zambian Chief Justice Steps Down Following Graft Scandal

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, June 30, 2002

Zambian Chief Justice Steps Down Following Graft Scandal

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa on Saturday accepted the implicit resignation of Chief Justice Mathew Ngulube, who was involved in a graft scandal.

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Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa on Saturday accepted the implicit resignation of Chief Justice Mathew Ngulube, who was involved in a graft scandal.

Ngulube proceeded on leave pending retirement, and Mwanawasa appointed respected lawyer Ernest Sakala to act as chief justice until Ngulube finally retired.

Analysts here said Ngulube could be pursued by the country's Anti-Corruption Commission when he leaves office over grave allegations that he received bribes amounting to 168,000 U.S. dollars from former president Frederick Chiluba in public funds to buy his loyalty.

Ngulube was also being stalked for a nearly-completed mansion built on the eastern fringes of Lusaka, whose cost is estimated at about 700 million kwacha (about 149,000 dollars). The number is equivalent to the Zambian government's annual funding to a single government department.

Ngulube was believed to have used his position to subvert the course of justice in all cases involving Chiluba and his aides during the past ten years of his administration.

Ngulube was accused of ruling unfairly in favor of Chiluba when the opposition political parties took the former president to court over his nationality.

Most recently, Ngulube raised eye-brows when he refused to accept a citizens' petition urging the judiciary to prepare a mechanism for lifting the immunity of Chiluba so that the former president can face prosecution over alleged misdeeds while he was in office.

Under the Zambian constitution, Ngulube could not be dismissed from office and it is for this reason that he had to be encouraged to go on "leave pending retirement."

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