Wed, 05 Sep 2012 10:24:58 +0000 The recent appointment of a Patriotic Front party secretary general Wynter Kabimba as the new Minister of Justice demonstrates a clear disregard for principles of rules of law, says international lawyer Robert Amsterdam. Mr Amsterdam said there could be no greater definition of the Patriotic Front government’s disregard for judicial independence than the appointment of a political hit man as Justice Minister. “Given the extraordinarily divisive and prejudicial statements made by Mr. Kabimba, this appointment should be seen as a clear indication that the Sata administration intends to pressure the legal system to persecute its opponents.” Mr Amsterdam said Mr Kabimba’s appointment comes amid an intensifying crackdown against members of the opposition, including Hakainde Hichilema of the UPND who was violently arrested last month and later charged with a trumped up accusations which lawyers say may violate his right to free speech. Mr Amsterdam who represents the former President […]
