YANDE SYAMPEYO, Lusaka
THE tribunal constituted to investigate the alleged professional misconduct of suspended Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mutembo Nchito reconvenes today.
Tribunal secretary Mathew Zulu said the sittings will start at 09:00 hours at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre.
Mr Zulu said yesterday that today’s proceedings will be open to the public.
“The decision as to whether future sittings will be open to the public will be determined based on arguments in today’s proceedings,” Mr Zulu said.
The tribunal chaired by former chief justice Annel Silungwe was appointed on March 10 by President Lungu to enquire into the alleged misconduct and acts of impropriety by  Mr Nchito, as provided for under Article 58, sub-article (2) and (3) of the Constitution of Zambia.
Other members of the tribunal are former chief justices Mathew Ngulube and Ernest Sakala.
The tribunal has been given eight terms of reference that include the probing of the alleged acts of impropriety by the DPP as alleged by members of the public.
They also include investigations that Mr Nchito allegedly repeatedly abused his authority by indiscriminately entering a nolle prosequi in cases in which he is alleged to have interest of his own to serve.
The tribunal has also been tasked to investigate alleged misconduct or misbehaviour of Mr Nchito, whereby on February 20, 2015, he purportedly took over prosecution of a matter before senior resident magistrate Lameck Mwale.
It has also been tasked to probe alleged misbehaviour of Mr Nchito on or about May 8, 2013, when he purportedly took over the prosecution of his known business allies Mr Fred M’membe and the Post Newspapers Limited without declaring conflict of interest.
Another term of reference will be to investigate allegations that Mr Nchito took  over matters in which he has a conflict of interest relating to his business partners (Mr M’membe and the Post Newspapers Limited), Rajan Mahtani (creditor), thereby going against his statement made before the Parliamentary Select Committee of the National Assembly of Zambia.
The tribunal will recommend to the President whether Mr Nchito ought to be removed from office for the allegations.