In a dramatic twist that has shaken the credibility of the prosecution’s case against Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Vice President for the Central Region, Alfred Gangata, the state’s star witness delivered what can only be described as a disjointed and damaging testimony—raising more questions than answers.
Gangata: Feared?
Andrew Phambala, the man at the heart of the allegations that Gangata fraudulently obtained a Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE), took the witness stand only to implode under basic cross-examination. From the moment he opened his mouth, his testimony fell apart like a house of cards.
Claiming to be a teacher who illegally wrote MSCE exams on behalf of Gangata, Phambala shamelessly admitted to lying to the police, asserting he feared being arrested. That admission alone cast a dark cloud over his credibility—but things only got worse.
When pressed on the specifics of his claim, Phambala stumbled. He could not remember which year he sat for the MSCE exams, nor could he recall when he joined the teaching profession. The courtroom burst into laughter as the defence, led by seasoned lawyer Kalekeni Kaphale, picked apart the witness’s foggy recollections.
But perhaps the most outrageous moment came when Phambala, in what appeared to be a desperate attempt to sound convincing, told the court that the first paper of the 2018 MSCE exams was Agriculture Paper 2. This contradicts the Malawi National Examinations Board’s official record, which shows that Biology was administered first—a mistake that visibly stunned Chief Resident Magistrate Austin Banda.
Even more damning was Phambala’s confession that he knowingly committed the offence—writing an exam for another person—in exchange for a promised payment of K4 million. His admission painted a picture not of a victim coerced into wrongdoing, but of a man driven by greed and willing to compromise integrity for cash.
Legal analysts say the prosecution’s case may have taken a fatal blow with Phambala’s chaotic and contradictory performance on the stand. “This is not a credible witness. He is unreliable, confused, and compromised,” said one court observer.
Adding to the mess, defence lawyer Zwelithini Chipembere told the court that the cross-examination could not be concluded because they are still waiting for key documents from the Malawi National Examinations Board. The court adjourned the matter to a later date.
As it stands, what was expected to be a straightforward case has turned into a courtroom circus, with the prosecution’s case wobbling dangerously on the back of a broken, compromised witness.
With Gangata watching calmly from the dock, it was clear who won round one.
