Chief Justice interferes with forex bureau case ruling
High Court highly-placed sources have revealed that the Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo, SC, summoned High Court Justice Anaclet Chipeta over a case in which the Attorney General wanted the court to discharge an injunction and a stay order forex bureau operators obtained in September to allow them operate after the Reserve bank closed them down.
The sources reveal that Munlo ordered Justice Chipeta to rule in favour of the state “for unknown reasons”, which the Judge did on Thursday.
Justice Chipeta discharged the injunction and the stay order, effectively barring the forex bureau operators from doing business. The matter will now go for a judicial review.
“The ruling on the matter was initially slated for Tuesday, November 3, 2009 but it was inexplicably shifted to Thursday, November 5, 2009. The Chief Justice interfered with the whole matter and one wonders how the Judiciary will function with such cases of abuse of power by its head,” said a high-ranking staff member at the High Court of Malawi in Blantyre, pleading for anonymity.
The Reserve bank closed down the forex bureaus which they alleged failed to partner with Authorized Dealer Banks as directed by the Reserve Bank in 2007.
Meanwhile, the same sources at the High Court have also revealed there is more to the High Court Registrar Dorothy Kamanga’s resignation.
The sources, impeccable in nature, reveal that the Chief Justice had made several “advances” towards the woman registrar who turned him down.
The Chief Justice then developed a harsh disposition towards the High Court Registrar “until she could take no more.”
“He shouted at her in the fashion of a headmaster-pupil relationship. The lady is of high integrity, happily married and could not sacrifice her character because of a High Court job, so she called it quits,” one source revealed.
Kamanga has declined to comment on either her decision to resign or what prompted it.
But Munlo told Daily Times that he is a symbol of change at the judiciary and other staffers who resist change would normally resign
“Where there is change not everybody will agree with you. Others resist to change and some may leave, it’s normal in any organization when there is a change,” said Munlo.
“I am affirmative that is my disposition and may be other people may take that as shouting, then that is their problem,” said the no nonsense Munlo.
Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo’s appointment in 2008 drew much controversy, with the opposition contesting its legality as he was confirmed by a Parliament that had not formed the required quorum as required by law.
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