DAILY NATION Tuesday September 29, 2020

Page 1

NATION DAILY

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PURSUING JUSTICE AND EQUITY WITH INTEGRITY Vol. 6. Issue 2721

SATURNIA PENSION SURVIVORS BACK IN COURT Price K10

Tuesday September 29, 2020

CASE TIMELINE

By NATION REPORTER

T

HE surviving 130 of 236 Saturnia Fund pensioners, from BP are back in court next month, 18 years after their claim was commenced. Over the years the argument has been the court

award of K26 million which Saturnia has disputed claiming that the pensioners are only entitled to K1.2 million. Meanwhile, 106 of their colleagues have died without being paid although 10 years ago in 2010 Judge Gregory Phiri ruled in their favour, noting in his judgment that, “I find that the plaintiffs were treated badly from the date of separation. Their entitlements were not calculated and paid in accordance with the rules.” TO PAGE 3

1.

July 2002

State of Claim and first summons are filed in the High Court of Zambia

2.

March 2003

Trial commences

3.

September 2006

Trial closes

4.

18 October 2010

High Court of Zambia passes judgment in favour of Plaintiffs

5.

22 October 2010

Company appeals against the judgment

6.

March 2011

Supreme writes to BP Lawyers Pleading with them to file the Heads of Argument

7.

April 2012

Supreme Court of Zambia issues Orders of Direction for the Heads of Argument to be filed.

8.

October 2013

The Plaintiffs petition the then Chief Justice over delays by the Supreme Court to make its ruling.

9.

February 2014

The Supreme Court of Zambia upholds the High Court judgment except for penal interest.

10.

April 2014

The matter goes to the Assessment Court for the first time and Benefits Consulting Services Limited who are the managers of the Saturnia Regna Pension Trust Fund join the defence as key witnesses for the company.

11.

April 2016

The Assessment judgment is passed in favour of the Plaintiffs.

12.

April 2016

The company appeals for the second time without the Heads of Argument.

13.

23 September 2016

The Company files its Heads of Argument.

14.

October 2016

The Respondents (former employees) file their Supplementary Record of Appeal, Cross Appeal and Heads of Argument.

15.

18 Dec 2018

The Supreme Court of Zambia sitting in Ndola orders that the matter goes back to assessment under a qualified Actuary to compute the benefits due to the complexity of the calculations.

16.

June 2019

Affidavit in Support of Summons to Assess Pension Benefits is issued.

17.

July 2019

Affidavit in Opposition is filed

18.

August 2019

The Court sits to hear arguments and then goes quiet.

19.

March 2020

Hearing is adjourned due to Covit-19

20.

June 2020

District Registrar abandons case

21.

17 September 2020

The case is allocated to a new Judge.

President Lungu says he’ll defend ECZ autonomy

HH insists his claim against Nawakwi is sufficient ON PAGE 3

By GRACE CHAILELESOETSA

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has submitted to the Lusaka High Court that the statement of claim where he is seeking damages for libel against Edith

By AARON CHIYANZO

Nawakwi, has sufficient particulars for her to settle a meaningful defence. Mr Hichilema said Ms Nawakwi is therefore not entitled to further and better particulars which she requested. To Page 3

Nevers Mumba grilled ON PAGE 3

President Edgar Lungu talks to Germany ambassador to Zambia Wagner-Mitchell after presenting letters of credence at State House yesterday. - Picture By KACHA MIYOBA/ZANIS

MY office will not sanction any acts that will usurp the powers of the Electoral Commission of Zambia as it is independent and autonomous, President Edgar Lungu has said. President Lungu has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the independence of the ECZ or any other constitutional body. The President noted with concern insinuations from some quarters of society that he had directed the ECZ to abandon the current voters' register and to introduce electronic voting in an effort to disadvantage the opposition in the 2021 elections. President Lungu said under his leadership, he had allowed and would continue to allow constitutional bodies like the ECZ to operate autonomously

and independently. He said he would not sanction any acts that would usurp the powers of the ECZ President Lungu said he found it absurd that some citizens continue to claim that he was directing ECZ to change voter registration methods to his and the ruling party's advantage. The President in a statement issued by his special aide for press and public relations, Isaac Chipampe, said that even he and the ruling party were uncomfortable with some of the newly introduced methods but he was restrained to comment because his words maybe seen as interference in the operations of the ECZ. He said he does not want the electoral process to be marred in controversy and prays that the polls would be free and fair before, during, and after voting.


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