President Hakainde Hichilema has suspended High Court Judge Emelia Phiri Sunkutu with immediate effect, following recommendations from the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC). The announcement was made in a statement issued by State House today.
Justice Sunkutu is the Mansa High Court in charge.
According to the press release, the suspension is made under Article 144(3) of the Constitution of Zambia, which grants the President authority to act on the advice of the JCC in matters concerning judicial conduct.
Justice Sunkutu, who has served on the bench since 2010, is a senior member of the judiciary and has held key positions including Judge-in-Charge of both the Ndola and Mansa High Courts. She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Zambia and a Master of Laws from the University of Lancaster in the United Kingdom. Her early career included service as a State Advocate in the Ministry of Legal Affairs and later as Manager of Legal Services at the Environmental Council of Zambia.
This is not the first time the judge has faced disciplinary action. In 2013, she was suspended by then-President Michael Sata along with another judge, Timothy Katanekwa, to facilitate investigations into alleged professional misconduct. A tribunal was subsequently constituted to look into the matter.
Justice Sunkutu’s 2013 co-suspended, Justice Katanekwa, was again suspended in December 2023 by President Hichilema, following a fresh set of complaints.
In March 2015, President Edgar Lungu received tribunal reports concerning the alleged incompetence of High Court Judges Emelia Sunkutu and Timothy Katenekwa. At that time, President Lungu stated he would not immediately release the findings until he had studied the reports and heard from the concerned parties.
While the specific allegations behind her current suspension have not been made public, the decision comes among around seven suspensions and dismissals by President Hichilema since he took office in 2021.
The Judicial Complaints Commission is expected to provide further guidance on the way forward as investigations proceed. Justice Sunkutu remains suspended pending the outcome of this process.
By Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya
