By KASONDE KASONDE –
A ZAMBIAN law firm has written to the International Criminal Court (ICC) urging the court to cite the United Party for National Development (UPND) leadership for crimes against humanity.
Lewis Nathan Advocates has written to the ICC alleging that UPND president Hakainde Hichilema, his vice-president Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba and the UPND members ordered, incited and aided the murder, torture and damage of property of Zambians living in Southern Province that are not Tonga or Lozi by origin between May 11 to date.
The law firm said following the declaration of Edgar Lungu as President including the run-up to the elections, Mr Hichilema and Mr Mwamba using their party members had committed various crimes by aiding their members in damaging private and public properties of Zambians who do not belong to the Tonga and Lozi tribes in Southern, Western and North Western provinces, the party’s strongholds.
“We as advocates of the victims are specifically instructed to file this communication before the ICC on their behalf and assist them to identify counsel in Europe to conduct the prosecution,” the law firm said in their letter to the ICC.
It said that they wanted the office of prosecution of the ICC to initiate an investigation on the basis that evidence and a reasonable basis to believe that crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC had been committed.
Lewis Nathan Advocates said that the ICC should investigate the allegations because taking into consideration the gravity of the crimes, there were no reasons to believe that the investigation would not serve the interest of justice.