. Sampa

By DELPHINE ZULU –
THE Lusaka High Court has allowed an appeal by Matero Member of Parliament (MP) Miles Sampa on whether he should be joined to the proceedings, where the election of Patriotic Front (PF) president Edgar Lungu as party candidate is being challenged.
In her ruling yesterday, Judge Mungeni Mulenga said Mr Sampa’s application for a joinder would be heard on January 13 next year.
The matter could not be heard when it came up for hearing because the court was handed an application by PF national chairperson Inonge Wina to stay the proceedings pending the outcome of the preliminary issue of contempt raised against Mr Sampa.
Ms Justice Mulenga had since dismissed the contempt application by Ms Wina on grounds that the 14 days leave granted had elapsed without any motion being entered for further hearing on commencement of contempt proceedings.
She said the plaintiff was granted leave to issue committal proceedings against Mr Sampa and others on December 4 this year but as of yesterday, no notice of motion or other documents were served on him.
“Thus the leave granted in this case has effectively lapsed as the 14 days allowance had since expired without a motion being entered for hearing, this preliminary issue had failed and is dismissed in view of facts in this case, I make no order as to costs, leave to appeal is granted.
“On the facts of this case as discussed, I exercise my discretion to hear the intended intervener on his application for joinder,” Ms Justice Mulenga said.
Others intending to be joined were Kasama MP Geoffrey Mwamba and former High Commissioner to Nigeria Selemani Phangula Banda.
The matter comes up on January 13 next year.