By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE –

NINE former members of the Technical Committee on Drafting the Constitution have sued the Government over alleged defamatory remarks uttered by Vice-President Guy Scott and former Justice minister, Wynter Kabimba against them.
These are former vice chairperson, Dr Julius Sakala, spokesperson Ernest Mwansa, Professor Patrick Mvunga, Dr Rodger Chongwe and Mwangala Zaloumis.
Others are, Reuben Lifuka, chief Luchembe, Father Ives Bantungwa and Reverend Susanne Matale.
The nine who are seeking general, exemplary and aggravated damages for defamation of character, libel and slander have sued over the allegations by Dr Scott and Mr Kabimba that they leaked the draft Constitution and wanted to convert Government motor vehicles as personal to holder.
The former members also want the court to grant them an injunction restraining, Dr Scott and Mr Kabimba or their agents from continuing to issue defamatory statements against them.
The former members are additionally, asking the court to order Dr Scott and Mr Kabimba to render written apologies to them over the allegations.
Attorney General, Musa Mwenye has been sued in his capacity as chief legal advisor of the Government on grounds that Dr Scott and Mr Kabimba made the alleged defamatory remarks during the course of their ordinary course of employment.
The nine have stated in their writ of summons filed in the principal registry of the Lusaka high court that the attorney general through Dr Scott and Mr Kabimba issued remarks at different occasions in their
ordinary course of employment.
They said that Dr Scott in his address over the Constitution making process alleged that members of the technical committee drafting the Constitution were trying to have the ownership of Government Motor
vehicles changed into their names.
Dr Scott is also alleged that the former members leaked the draft Constitution to the media and that investigations had been instigated against them.
Mr Kabimba is alleged to have said that if the former members were allowed to buy the vehicles, it would have set a bad precedent and that Government had a duty to the Zambian people and public offices should not be looked as Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).
The members said that the comments were made to various sectors of the public and published in widely read national newspapers, the Post newspaper editions of April 14, 2014 and May 23, 2014 respectively.
They said that by Dr Scott maliciously and falsely alleging that they were trying to have the Government motor vehicles changed into their names and that they leaked the draft Constitution to the media and
that investigation had started, he implied that they were dishonest and fraudulent in their activities and functions.
The former members said that by Dr Scott comparing them to angels and Hindu gods, he implied that the technical committee had ungodly characteristic such as dishonesty and un-trustworthiness.
They said that Mr Kabimba’s statement was under stood to mean that the plaintiffs and other members of the committee had fraudulently intended to acquire the Government vehicles and has an insatiable
appetite for fraudulent misuse of public funds.