Longwe drags DPP to JCC… UPND stalwart seeks probe into DPP Gilbert Phiri’s conduct

LUSAKA – A significant legal challenge has been mounted against Zambia's Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Gilbert Phiri, as United Party for National Development (UPND) cadre Charles Longwe has formally petitioned the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC) to launch an investigation into Phiri’s conduct. The petition, filed on July 31, 2026, alleges gross misconduct and an abuse of constitutional office by the DPP, sparking considerable debate within legal and political circles. At the heart of Longwe’s complaint is the DPP's alleged refusal to authorise a private prosecution against several senior UPND officials. Longwe contends that these officials are implicated in the falsification of party records and statutory documents, matters he had initially reported to the Zambia Police Service. When police action was not forthcoming, Longwe sought the DPP's authority, under Article 180(4) of the Constitution, to initiate private criminal proceedings. However, his request was denied, a decision Longwe views as an improper shielding of individuals from due prosecution. Mr. Longwe further argues that DPP Phiri should have declared a conflict of interest or recused himself from the matter, given that some of the individuals he sought to prosecute were reportedly Phiri's private clients prior to his appointment as DPP. This alleged failure to recuse, coupled with the refusal to grant authority for private prosecution, forms the core of the accusation that Phiri utilised his official function to abet crime. Longwe asserts that the DPP's reliance on the existence of civil proceedings as a basis for rejection is legally flawed, citing precedents where civil and criminal proceedings can run concurrently. The Judicial Complaints Commission, established under Article 236 of the Constitution, is mandated to receive, investigate, and hear complaints of misconduct against judicial officers and holders of constitutional offices like the DPP. Longwe's petition calls upon the JCC