ACB clears Justice Chikopa in Malawi judges’ bribery case
Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal judge Lovemore Chikopa has been named as one of the suspects who was being investigated by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) over his alleged involvement to bribe the five judges who nullified the presidential election result but has been cleared as found with no case to answer after an investigations.
ACB director general Reyneck Matemba said Chikopa was investigated after Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda alleged that individuals attempted to bribe constitutional court judges over their ruling on a petition submitted by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Lazarus Chakwera as well as UTM president Saulos Chilima to challenge the re-election of President Peter Mutharika.
Matemba said they found not incriminating evidence against Justice Chikopa, who was also in the seven-judge panel that upheld the ruling of the Constitutional Court unanimously last Friday.
“We have concluded our investigations and we have no evidence against Justice of Appeal Chikopa,” said Matemba.
He said ACB will brief the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament on their findings.
ACB already arrested Thomson Mpinganjira, owner of FDH Bank, following investigations into the bribery scandal and charged him.
Matemba said then that the bureau was also investigating one officer in the judiciary for bribery to justices Healey Potani, Mike Tembo, Redson Kapindu, Dingiswayo Madise and Ivy Kamanga of the High Court, sitting as a Constitutional Court (ConCourt), who presided over the historic elections petition case.
He said investigations on Chikopa concluded a month ago and he is cleared.
The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) also claimed it had information that the five judges who nullified the presidential election result received bribes, but did not submit any evidence to prove that they judges received kickbacks from petitioners in the case to rule in their favour.
The DPP took to the streets for what it called ‘The March for the Restoration of Democratic Justice’ to make allegations of the judges bribery.
All this time where were you ACB ,,,, chilima and Chakwera he knows very Kuti DPP party anabera Chisankho,,,, since in political history this is the first,,, it means Ruling party they just bribe MEC chair and members so that can Election easily,,,, today Atupele akuti apanga Alliance with DPP, this guy akufuna Udindo wa presiden,,,, Like father like son, akufuna muzikaba ma trillion, Malawi waphweka eti,,,, political is not family nde ulendo Uno zalowa chibwana ,,, mukufuna muzikalowetsa njala and Kugulitsa ma company. I’m not Politician but Apapa zaoneseratu Kut Malawi azilamulidwa ndi banja awiri,,,,, pa Malawi ndale zafika… Read more »
Judge Chikopa the next Chief Elections Officer – nkhanga zaona
ACB who on earth do you want to believe this nonsense? Who was investigating who you or the judiciary was investigating itself. Now when people conclude that the whole thing was and still is a hoax with hinden motives would you reject such claims. To those who have always said the ACB is biased here is evidence the the body vested in tackling corruption is itself corrupt and useless. Now how far have you gone with the case bearing in mind that you promised a swift conclusion of the case but lo its now months nothing is happening.
Then clear Mpinganjira also.He can’t be on bail all this long. His case was politically motivated and the longer it takes to take him to court the injustice incurred on him.
What dose the word,,,CLEARED,,, means?
Fake investigations and acquittals being done just to clear the names ahead of the polls
Lawyers and judges covering each others back. Which cases can acb director point out as having been successfully processed by his office? George chaponda was cleared by the courts, now chikopa has been cleared, chakwera has been cleared. Acb might as well just clear Thom mpinganjira, because he was alleged to have bribed the concourt through justice chikopa.
Failure that’s what you are Mr matemba, total failure.
We new this all along, please stop time wasting and bring the main culprit Tom Mpinganjira to the dock so he can tell us under whose instructions he was operating.
Ine ngati ndafunsila mkazi wamwini mkaziyo ndikundikana, mwamuna wankaziyo atauzidwa anganene kuti mkaziyonso ndiwolakwa bwanji amafunsilidwa??
The judge was approached with a bribe and he refused it and told his fellow judges about the attempted bribery so why should he be accused of bribery….?
Bring Mpinganjira to court as soon as possible so he can reveal the real kahuna behind this bribery saga.
You have lost your logic; how can Mpinganjira reveal who he bribed yet he denies the charges? The burden of proof rests on ACB to reveal the one Mpinganjira bribed. They indicated it was Lovemore Chikopa, if not the they should concurrently clear him; he has no case to answer. Jealous basi ndiye inakula. ACB is the mercenaries of the opposition, who doesn’t know.
This should be a lesson to the Honourable Justice that justice can only be justice if there is justice.
How long did the investigation last really!!!?
as is required. Musamapeputse ntchito ya wena wawa moyo umenewo is not good. They are experts that is why they were entrusted with such a responsibility