ACB to start parading witnesses in Mpinganjira case,  starts afternoon

The High Court in Blantyre has shifted to  Thursday afternoon, hearing of a case in which business tycoon Thom Mpinganjira is being accused by  Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of  offering a bribe to the panel of five High Court judges who presided over the landmark presidential election case that nullified the May 21 2019 presidential poll in February this year.

The case which is before Justice Dorothy DeGabrielle was expected to start at 9am and  Mpinganjira came to court for the hearing dressed in a stripped  suit and black necktie only to learn the matter has been moved to afternoon.

One of the court clerks announced hearing will start at 1:30pm.

Mpinganjira looked clam and even  took time greeting relatives  who accompanied him  including politician Brown Mpinganjira, spokesperson of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

ACB director general Reyneck Matemba said they are ready to start parading their witnesses.

Among the list of witnesses for the case are the five High Court judges who sat as a Constitutional Court in presiding over the presidential election case.

Mpinganjira was arrested in Blantyre following an investigation by the graft fighting bureau which was acting on a complaint submitted by the judges through the Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda.

The five judges—Healy Potani, Ivy Kamanga, Dingiswayo Madise, Redson Kapindu and Mike Tembo—are expected to be witnesses for the ACB and have provided written statements to the bureau detailing the alleged actions of the business person and former group chairperson for FDH Holdings.

Mpinganjira denies any wrongdoing and through his lawyers led by Patrice Nkhone, has called for a judicial review on the legality of his arrest.

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