By Merlyn Mwanza
A Lusaka businessman, Misheck Chatora, has written Chief Justice Mumba Malila to intervene saying since the conclusion of a matter involving his company and Zambian Breweries in 2016, judgment has not been delivered, something he has referred to as “travesty of justice.”
In a letter to justice Malila dated October 31, 2022 and seen by Daily Revelation, Chatora asked the Chief justice to intervene as it has not been explained to him why judgment has not been delivered in the matter before High Court judge Timothy Katenekwa.
“Re: Maritime Freight & Forwarding Limited v Zambian Breweries Plc-2011/HN/298. I write Apropos the above subject matter. My Lord, the above matter was commenced in November, 2011 and was immediately allocated to Justice T. Katenekwa. Following that, hearing commenced on the 5th September, 2012 and was concluded on the 17th July, 2016. The parties final written submissions were filed into court in December, 2016,” Chatora stated. “My Lord, since the conclusion of the matter in 2016, judgment has not been delivered and there is no explanation for the status. My Lord it is in this vain that I opine that the said inordinate and unexplained delay in the delivery of that judgment is a travesty of justice and a complete denial of justice to the parties.”
Chatora submitted that there has been no indication on the part of the presiding judge as to when the said judgment would be delivered, a situation he said has brought anxiety and suspicion in the minds of the parties.
“My Lord, it is for the above reasons that I call upon your good office as an epitome of justice to intervene in the matter to help the parties receive justice and also preserve the integrity of the judiciary,” stated Chatora.
Chatora is the same person who has reported Supreme Court justices Nigel Mutuna, Evans Hamaundu, Michael Musonda and Roydah Kaoma to the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC) over an appeal in the Supreme Court involving the same parties, his company Maritime and Zambian Breweries. He said the JCC is yet to give a date of hearing, and that he also filed a notice of motion in the Supreme Court which is awaiting setting of hearing, having filed it on September 13, 2022.
