Hon. Mr. Justice Evaristo Pengele is a Judge of the High Court. He was appointed to the High Court on 7th March, 2019. Justice Pengele holds a Bachelor of Laws degree in Commercial and Corporate Law from the University of Zambia and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Lusaka. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Legislative Drafting from the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education. He was admitted to the bar in 2007.
Prior to his appointment, Justice Pengele served as Registrar of the Supreme and Special Assistant to the Chief Justice (Legal) from 2016 to 2019. During his time as Registrar of the Supreme, Justice Pengele was Head of the Research Advocates’ Unit. Justice Pengele served as Senior Research Advocate in the Office of the Chief Justice from 2013 to 2016. Justice Pengele also served at the Anti-Corruption Commission from 2006 to 2013 where he rose through the ranks to the position of Senior Legal and Prosecutions Officer.
Justice Pengele is the Coordinator for Southern African Chief Justices Forum (SACJF) a Forum of Chief Justices from 16 Countries drawn from the Southern and Eastern Regions of Africa. He also served as Deputy Secretary to the Judicial Service Commission from 2015 to 2019 and Co-Secretary of the Council of Law Reporting, a statutory body established under Chapter 46 of the Laws of Zambia. During the same period , he doubled as Secretary of the Editorial Board of the Council of Law Reporting.
Justice Pengele also sat on various Advisory Committees of the Chief Justice before he was appointed Judge of the High Court.
