Judge not available, Mphwiyo shooting case adjourned to April 7
Judge Micheal Mtambo presiding the case in the shooting of former budget director in the Ministry of Finance Paul Mphwiyo was not available on Monday for the trial and the case was adjourned to April 7.
Mtambo was outside the country, according to judicially spokesperson Mlenga Mvula.
“It was discussed between both parties that the case be shifted to April 7 because justice Mtambo is outside the country for other
engagements,” he said.
Mphwiyo was shot during the night of September 13, 2013 outside his house in Lilongwe. His shooting opened a can of worms that later led to the busting of cashgate – a syndicate in which public officers, politicians and businesspersons fraudulently plundered over US$100 million from government coffers.
When the hearings resumes, defence lawyer Wapona Kitta is expected to continue cross examining Senior Superintendent Kampara Chilinda.
Former justice minister Ralph Kasambara, a Macdonald Kumwembe and the Manondo brothers – Pika and Dauka are the main suspects believed to have been behind Mphwiyo’s attempted murder.
Prosecution which is being led Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mary Kachale, paraded Kankhwala Chilinda – a police investigator – to testify as lead investigator.
Kankhwala told the court that he had foiled the initial plan by Kasambara and others to have Mphwiyo shot.
According to Chilinda, the gun tendered to court was supposed to be used by Maxwell Chalunda who had allegedly been hired to shoot Mphwiyo. But Chalunda, Chilinda explained, surrendered the gun when he was later arrested in connection with the shooting.
“Chalunda surrendered the gun and five unused bullets to me,” Chilinda told the court. “He told me that he was part of the team that was hired to assassinate [Mphwiyo].”
He also submitted call logs of the accused – Kasambara, the Manondo brothers and Kumwembe – to show that they were in serious contact on the day prior and after Mphwiyo shooting until two days later.
Also submitted to the court by Chilinda was about K2 million and US$3 000 collected from Kumwembe, and K12 000 from Chalunda.
Kumwembe was identified by Chilinda and eleven other state witnesses as a former Malawi Defence Force employee who had been convicted for robbery in 2005.
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Jb is in hiding because she knows she will be summoned as Ralphs witness
Update us on Ali kaka case and Guta .we need to know or else they have no case.
Where is JB to bail out his friend Mphwiyo who is keeping some precious lead metals in his jaws?She told Malawians that she knew everybody that shot Mphwiyo and now she is hiding in some bolt holes in the US claiming that the Yankees are very much interested in her talks.Nkhani za mbava ngati achina Mphwiyo ndi anzake zatitopetsa kwabasi.Vuto losankha mphwepwa as our leaders in Malawi.Ali kagame ku Rwanda onsewa ali mndende.A Mphwiyo anapenga kwabasi ndi makobili akuba patauni.La 40 linakwana anayamba kuwomberana okhaokha because of greediness.
Bwanji mkazi wa Mphwiyo akufanana ndi first lady, kapena ndi chibale?
TYPICAL OF THIS JUDGE FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL AND ALWAYS VERY CONTROVERSIAL WHY DEPLOY HIM INU A BOMA. LIKE MZAKE UJA WHO RELEASED THE TOYOTA FORTUNER AND MERC
Mrs DPP, is the absence of the judge also the work of mafia like operations? It’s a shame that you continue with this case when it is clear all evidences against the accused is cooked up.
We are busy stealing ife a DPP. You can employ the FBI Scotland Yard etc you will never get to the bottom of the MK92 billion. Kagwereni uko.
Ok, was it so?
Inu the Judge travelled to Ethiopia to attend a very important COMESA meeting where iyeyo with other judges from the region amakalumbira kukhala mmodzi wa ma judge a COMESA. Inde Justice Mtambo wasankhidwa ngati mmodzi wa ma judge a COMESA. Nanga sizabwino izi? Akubawo alekeni awamangababe…..basi
Eish