Mining firm reports Silwamba to LAZ for unethical conduct

GRACE CHAILE-LESOETSA writes@SunZambian BLACKFIRE Mining Limited has reported State Counsel Eric Silwamba to the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) for alleged professional misconduct. The mining firm claims Mr Silwamba is interfering with investigations in a matter in which it has sued Stanbic Bank Zambia in the Kabwe High Court demanding for US$125, 000 being damages for a breach of contract. Mr Silwamba SC of Messrs., Eric Silwamba, Jalasi and Linyama Legal Practitioners is Stanbic Bank lawyer. In their complaint letter to LAZ dated December 23, 2020, Blackfire Mining director Guston Kasempa said Mr Silwamba has hindered and interfered with investigation as he has written a detailed letter giving his legal opinion to the Inspector General of Police and also the Director of Public Prosecutions. “It is very surprising that Mr Silwamba SC is very much aware of who our lawyers are in the civil matter but he has gone on to propose a settlement through the police and suggesting that he may have a special relationship with the police much to our disadvantage wherein he can settle matters ex parte without involving us, the complaints,” it said. Blackfire Mining claim Mr Silwamba is mounting and arguing his case in the corridors of the police station and not in court. “He has uncharacteristically, opted to attack the regularity or otherwise of the warrants that were issued and served on the bank early on in the investigation. In our understanding, these are matters to be argued, if at all, in the courts of law once his clients appear in court,” it said. The mining company has alleged that Mr Silwamba was unethically aiding the suspects to run away and the police are also following suit. “Mr Silwamba SC is, in fact trying to circumvent the law by covering the crime much to our dismay. It is in this vein that we write to your office to call on Mr Silwamba SC to answer our complaint of professional negligence,” reads the letter.