Malawi Legal Aid Bureau puts on hold murder cases: No funds

Poor murder suspects in Malawi will have to spend more time in congested jails as Legal Aid Bureau, a government department which provides free legal services to poor people says it has run out of money for the services.

Justice Minister Samuel Tembenu and Solister General Janet Chikaya Banda: No funds for Legal Aid Bureau
Justice Minister Samuel Tembenu and Solister General Janet Chikaya Banda: No funds for Legal Aid Bureau

A lawyer in the department confided with Nyasa Times that treasury gives it a little money just to barely survive.

The lawyer could not say how many cases the department was expected to handle across the country.

“Our lawyers across the country represent those who cannot afford legal representation. It is mandatory in Malawi to have legal representation in all murder cases,” said the lawyer.

This comes barely days after minister of Health Peter Kumpalume said the ministry has put on hold referral of patients abroad due to lack of money.

However, treasury spokesperson Nations Msowoya blamed mismanagement of money as the main reason why some ministries and departments run out of money.

“We fund each ministry and department according to the national budget. The problem is that some controlling officers have their priorities upside down,” said Msowoya.

The government is facing financial problems following the freeze of donor aid which amounts to 40 percent of budgetary support.

Malawi Economic Justice Network director Dalitso Kubalasa said there was need to put in place sound policies and methods that can detect early in misuse of public money.

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Ivan Mark Radhakrishnan
Ivan Mark Radhakrishnan
7 years ago

SHOCKING!

But we always manage to come up with INTEREST-FREE TAX-FINANCE when Football’s local and international beggars and kleptomaniacs come calling.

SHOCKING! When does REALITY GET PRIORITIZED?

Mashiripiti
Mashiripiti
7 years ago

The two big guys at the Bureau need investigating. While we are saying the bureau has no money for murder cases they are living mapwevupwevu lifestyle. If they can’t do murder cases what then will they be doing?

Nulu
Nulu
7 years ago

It’s just waste time to use Malawi Legal Aid Lawyers. I don’t know if they have ever win any case against private lawyers. As I’m writing this they are failing to follow up my case since 2005. I did what I could but I just wasted my time.

Jahan
Jahan
7 years ago

Can you believe this Msowoya guy? He is saying “controlling officers of some departments are mismanaging the funds allocated to them because they have their priorities upside down..” Huh?
Is it the controlling officers who have priorities upside down or this DPP gvt?
DPP gvt would rather build a mapwevupwevu hall that buy medicine in hospitals. The DPP gvt would rather buy fuel guzzling expensive cars with inside toilets for APM than buy maize for the starving Malawians whom they tell to eat less. He wants to talk about upside down priorities?

Dakali
Dakali
7 years ago

God-fearing nation failing to give people justice – so BASIC. What can you then give your people

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