ACB czar urges ‘soul-searching’ for Malawi Judiciary

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director general Reyneck Matemba has told the Judiciary to take stock of itself over questionable and suspicious court judgments as well as long delays to give out rulings.

“I would urge the Judiciary, I am not attacking the Judiciary but this is the time for them to do soul searching. We cannot have a questionable Judiciary,” said Matemba.

He said the country has a questionable executive and legislature.

“Those are politicians. But we can’t have a questionable judiciary,” he said, saying this was not the first time that a court has made questionable order.

He was referring to the decision by Zomba resident magistrate Benedicto Chitsakamile to make a dubious ruling at midnight.

Chitsakamile dubiously cancelled a warrant of arrest for finance services business tycoon Thomson Mpinganjira.

“There was a time a whole High Court judge stopped the ACB from investigating and prosecuting a person. What is that? We have a law? Our mandate is to prosecute.

“A whole judge tells us not to prosecute a person. What is that? We have appealed against that decision but up to now the decision has not been made,” he said.

He said this was the sort of thing ACB faces everyday but they don’t talk about it.

“But it is sad and disgusting,” said Matemba.

High Court registrar Agnes Patemba said these were isolated cases.

She says the Judiciary would probe whether he made his decision under the influence of corruption or it was just a mistake.