By Merlyn Mwanza
The government has lost a court case where 32 dismissed police officers were removed from the payroll before receiving their benefits.
Mweemba Ngulube and 31 others had sued the Attorney General in the Constitutional Court for contravening Article 189 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No.2 of 2016.
And in the consent judgement before the Constitutional Court, the petitioners and respondent agreed on the terms, consenting that judgement be entered on such terms including that the petitioners shall be retained on the payroll pursuant to the provisions of Article 189 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No.2 of 2016, pending the payment of their terminal benefits.
“That the petitioners herein shall be paid all their withheld salary arrears with interest at six percentum (6%) from the date of the filing the petition up to the date of the Consent Judgement and thereafter at the average lending rate as determined by the Bank of Zambia up to the date of full and final payment, in line with the case of Luke Mumba and another and the Council of the University of Zambia (2022/CCZ/0012. That the Respondent shall pay the Petitioners costs of and incidental to this action, to be agreed upon or taxed in default of agreement,” stated the judgement in part.
