Appeal to ‘assist’ ex-Malawi president pay legal costs: ‘Concerned citizens’ say Mutharika facing persecution
Some Malawians describing themselves as “concerned citizens” have made what they call “a passionate appeal” to people of goodwill within and outside the country to “support” former President Peter Mutharika in settling legal costs in a case where Mutharika and former Secretary to the President and Cabinet Lloyd Muhara were being accused of having a role in a plot to remove Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda and Justice of Appeal Edward Twea.


The High Court in Lilongwe recently ordered Mutharika and Muhara to pay Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), Association of Magistrates and Malawi Law Society (MLS) K69.5 million.
Mutharika and Muhara will pay K26 million to Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) and Association of Magistrates while MLS will get K43 million.
HRDC, Association of Magistrates and MLS were first, second and third applicants, respectively, in the case.
The court gave Mutharika and Muhara 14 days to pay the costs.
However, speaking Tuesday at a press conference in the Capital, Lilongwe, the “concerned citizens” said they feel “the pressure is just too much on the former President” considering that “government also obtained a court order to freeze his bank accounts”.
Led by journalist Mundango Nyirenda, the “concerned citizens” also said they have a “conviction” that Mutharika is being “victimized for political reasons”, adding that “this is not a case of justice but rather political persecution”.
“Fellow citizens, we are not here to defend anyone from any wrong doing, and neither are we here to comment on court rulings and judgments, but rather to ignite debate and ask well-wishers to join our cause.
“Malawians are fully aware that the State obtained a court order to freeze Mutharika’s bank accounts, pending investigations on a matter he was already cleared. Then we were shocked to read media reports indicating that the High Court has ruled that Mutharika and his former Chief Secretary, Mr. Lloyd Muhara, should pay K69.5 million.
“It is for this reason that we the concerned citizens issue this statement and raise a moral question as to how does the court expect the former President to comply with the court order when the same court is fully aware that it allowed the freezing of the accused’s bank accounts?
“Unfortunately everyone seems not to care as people have folded their arms and are just looking at whatis happening to Mutharika. What we are forgetting is that a very bad precedent is being set today, and after APM we do not know who is next in line to be victimized.
“We as concerned citizens have undertaken a decision to write the donor community to bring to their attention the way the Tonse Alliance and indeed President Lazarus Chakwera are treating the former Head of State. Find us on our Facebook page, Justice for APM, and make your contribution through bank account details to be made public in due course.
“Let’s join hands to bail out our former leader from this very unfortunate situation. No matter how many charges Mutharika might face, genuine or tramped up, he still remains the former President of this country, and he deserves to be treated fairly and with the respect he deserves,” Nyirenda read out a statement to journalists.
On November 20 2020, newly appointed Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, Justice Charles Mkandawire, while winding up the case he was presiding over as a High Court judge, ordered Mutharika and Muhara to pay costs incurred in the case where they were found guilty of forcing the Chief Justice and Justice Twea to proceed on leave in June last year, pending retirement.
Mkandawire faulted Mutharika and Muhara for interfering with the independence of the judiciary.
On June 12 2020, Muhara had issued a public notice that the two should proceed on leave to clear days pending retirement, a development that angered HRDC, Association of Magistrates and lawyers who later held demonstrations protesting the decision as an infringement of the doctrine of separation of powers.
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Kk(kkk kulila kwamunthu wankulu
THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING! IDIOTS WILL CONTRIBUTE…I WOULD RATHER HELP POOR PEOPLE THAN RICH IDIOTS WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE ABOVE THE LAW!!
Pitala adziwe kuti Malawi did not belong to him. He should know that Malawi did not belong to one tribe. That was arrogance. He could pour scorn on judges and the judgements that went against him. Why should we waste money of a thief? You are free to collect money to pay on his behalf but we are suspicious of you. Munadya nawo.
Nkhanza za MCP ndizimenezitu!!! Nothing has changed. MCP is the same old killer party despite being led by this fake pastor Chakwerang’ombe.
Pama comments pachuluka zitsilu zowombela mfiti manja. A lot of people that don’t want justice but persecution. This case was biased and a vendetta by the nyirenda court. Where in the world do you freeze someone’s accounts and older them to pay within 14 days? Nkhanza zimenezi ena akazakubwezelani kumadzalira pa mawa.
Munthu wa Mulungu use proer language
The Tumbuka lawyers in Malawi must be stinking rich now. All these millions we read in Nyasatimes. Very soon country will be run by tumbuka lawyers. Koma zirikoliko ku nyasalandeko!!
Alhomwe ali pa chiopsyezo chachikulu ku Malawi kuno. Akuyenela kupeza njira to survive otherwise they will be exterminated like rats. The courts have it against all Lhomwes
In Malawi justice is for Tumbukas and all MCP sympathisers. Chilima captured the courts and his Tumbuka best friends. The Tumbukas own the judiciary, parliament and all strategic positions, Chewas are catching up. Lhomwe’s will just have to figure out how they will survive, ali pa chiopsyezo chachikulu
Persecution my foot!! The time they were committing the crime didnt they know the consequences? Wake up Malawians. Mutharika and his colleague are criminals
kodi a JC alibe kokhala akukana kukapuma thawi itakwanawa, koma achinyamatafe tchito tizaipeza kukakamila kwake kumeneku
Political persecution, just like the scourge of corruption and impunity, can and will not stand. This is not justice!! 2 wrongs don’t make a right. At some point this will backfire, back a dog into a corner and it eventually bites. The world is round, time will come again the southern region will rule this country again. Osazalira.
Uli chindere iwe nadi. What is southern region? Are you talking about the southern part of our country, Malawi? You fool! It is people who lead Malawi, not regions. If one is incompetent and a thug what do you expect the citizens to do? They remove the guy, just like we did with your thug —– kicking him out of the state house so unceremoniously that he ended up crying for the whole month.
You are a fool. You can’t see what’s happening and only rejoice in the suffering of others. There is nothing right about this and it stinks
Inu a “concerned citizens” mukuzitengera ma emotions apamwamba zinthuzi. Much as it is not wrong to feel sympathy for Mutharika, it is too early to start calling for support of the legal costs which Mutharika & his friend are supposed to pay. Mwafulumira kwambiri kuitanitsa support ya ndalama:
QUESTIONS
1. Have you done a research that Mutharika cannot pay?
2. Has Mutharika himself said he cannot pay?
3. Do you have the knowledge about how rich or poor Mutharika is?
4. Don’t you think that Mutharika might have some investments which make millions daily?
Please you are in a hurry inu a “Concerned citizens”.
This is just a matter of action for their support to him on their belief that he is being persecuted.It doesn’t matter to them on all the issues you have raised.
I believe I can speak on behalf of the other concerned citizens that we are not concerned about the legal fees of the former president. Everyone has bills to pay. We wish him the best of luck.
Let him pay just like anybody else when is ordered to pay. What’s so special with Peter anyway? Mbabva yachabechabe.
Mbuzi iwe
this is the lesson to all upcoming head of state and government officials. dont be involved in decisions that might end up u paying dearly for it. this is why public officers fail to make decisions to avoid these costs. any sensible person nowdays want to be associated to these issues to avoid paying heavily for decisions u made as public officer ending up to eat up ur pension money
Nkhalamba is facing NYEKHWE, kikikikiiiiiii
Remember atumbuka aku Mzimba were forced to contribute towards repayment of ngongole ya Inkosi . why not him
Ngonis, not Tumbukas. Huge difference.
Those who say APM is being victimized listen to this. I mean if you are God fearing: God gave us the law to abide by it. Since then institutions have laws by which they have to be guided. Study carefully the interrelationships of the nouns institution and constitution governments of which depend on the latter. Mutharika run the country as if he was law himself and therefore untouchable. Let him be punished accordingly and nobody should not be sorry about him. In fact, he who wants to be richer than Hebrews 13:5 should expect things like these. There are limits to everything and I hope Ulladi Mussa and Christopher Mzomera Ngwira agree with me. Judgments begin here on earth kuti anthu osamvanu Mulungu akangomalizitsa. Musiyeni Mwini zinthu zonse agwire ntchito yake. Chofunika apa nkungoti Norman Chisale awaponyere a Pita Bible lija kuti nawonso liwalondolere njira mu nyengoyi.
Ingomupatsani zomwe munamubera, basi tikuziwani tsopano
Former president of France Sarkozy has been indicted and charged by the courts. It just proves that being presidents does not mean they are above the law and are not excluded from being tried. They have to face the law just like every citizen. Hence the need to lift the case of immunity of these leaders. Whether they are immune or not does not affect their discharge of duties. Whatever decision they make, they have to rethink and think again to ensure that it’s a proper decision made appropriately beneffiting the citizens. They dont have to make decisions which will benefit a few affiliated or connected citizens. Lifting of such immunity will help in the advancement of the rule of law, governance and compliance with a lot of regulations.
Hence in this case the two have to obey the court order, this isnt a case of victimisation, its a case of being accountable for the bery poor, deliberate, wrong decision making. Simple!
Exactly WE THE CONCERNED CITIZENS
PROPER OF MALAWI WANT THIS MAN TO PAY, he even wanted to build stadiums using part of my tax payer money kkkkkkk
Is he Tycoon???
Why raise money for a Tycoon
Kkkkkk
CONCERNED CITIZENS PROPER
APM being judged by tumbuka courts. 2025 is so soon.
this mudango nyerenda is insane and deluded, have muthalika complained to anyone that he will not be abble to foot the cost because his account is frozen? leave the court isssues in court’s hands. you think the courts wasn’t aware about muthalika frozen account the time they rendered that judgement.
pepani nonse
Plz amalawi amzanga musayerekeze even a single penny. Ndalama zimene akusonkhetsazi sizikagwira ntchito yomwe akutiuza apai. These guys are crooks. Ndalamazo zipita mmatumba mwao at the expense of mutharika. Zikanakhala kuti zomwe akunena apazi ndizoona akanayambira kuchipani kwao kupempha. Mpakana nduna zonse zakale munthawi ya DPP.
I wonder if these so called concerned citizens were in Malawi when gogo petulo was president in country. For Christ’s gogo petulo was the masterminder of corruption in Malawi. So don’t worry he has more than enough to pay for the court costs. Musatinyansepo apa
5 pm kuweluka from Limbe to Bt kukafika 2030 pakhomo akamapita ku sanjika from wherever he went. untouchable gulliabe .had no concern of anyine in the name of cisale.shit
The next time Dpp comes to power, first agenda is to cleanse the courts of Tumbukas. Nomore Nyirenda, mkandawire cabals. One day Nyirenda uzanyela, this story does not end here. We are watching.
Is this persecution?This group of crook and conmen/women citizens want just to steal money from people.Muthalika and Muhara deserve it because they thought they were above the law.There is nothing waste our time here.
What a waste of time! The duo made a patently stupid decision, Wednesbury-style! This award of costs is lawful and upholds justice. It says to those in power: Do not make stupid decisions to victimise those who are simply doing their job to ensure a just society and uphold the Constitution. For all the looting that Gertrude, her son Tadikira, and others orchestrated in his name and under his watch, APM is the last person in Malawi to deserve financial support from any organised movement. Gertrude and Tadikira should find money from their loot to bail out their imperilled benefactor. And let me hear of this victimisation allegation for the last time. How can it be victimisation when a competent and fiercely independent court has found the duo guilty? It’s simple logic, you retards: you commit an offense, you pay for the consequences.
Kodi abale ma figure a legal fees amenewo ndi achilungamo kapena a ‘ fake’ ongofuna kufinya a Mutharikawa ?
This is not persecution but being made to account. It is not only Malawi that ex-presidents are tried for this type of governance errors….impunity must stop…period
Chief Justice Nyirenda. Isn’t this persecution? You are not God. Remember that. You are not God. One day nemesis will catch up with you. Mark my words. Evil.
Dear concerned Citizens,
Muthalika&Mukhala deserve.
Don’t fell pity on them.Walikwiba ndalama zinandi chomene&it was out of their offices to force Chief Justice&Judge to retire.
Dpp never thought they could be out of power.They were on top of an elephant.
Muthalika so far was the worse president on the planet,educated useless.
Must pay as his accounts is being investigated….
We are here out of malawi because of his stupid administration.Now,that Chakwera is in power,we are coming.
Lastly,concerned citizens,please,mubala and Muthalika got billions,this money is just a change for them.
DURBAN
KwaZulu NaTaL
[email protected]
Wakwiba mnyakhe ni Bushiri; wait a minute, you clap hands for him instead to steal from sick people para wafuma kukaya
Pay yourself for your foolish crook. He has our money already tell him to return all our stolen money.
Yes,
The so called concerned citizens,must pay for themselves,why must well wishers pay for crooks?
Namwe Mwa wanthu….paying for Muthalika&Mukhala,kikikiki
Kusowa chochita.
Yewo,
+27724922299
Nxaaaaa
The way maCadet comment on any issues is proof enough that this country is far from meeting its developmental objectives. Each time cadet opens his or her mouth we notice high level of mediocrity and brutality
Judgements that favours Chilima ululations at political podiums.Kulanga akuti mfiti,hey! Ma judge apa northern Malawi ,kuweruza zidani zao,kkkkk end of you guys
And you will see party zealots contributing to the rescue of their president. They will do it not that they don’t accept the wrongs done but to counter the thought that DPP is finished. My Malawi, fast developing in politics at the expense of economic development.
pasta jeni asah
linda
mathanga
dausi
mwanaveka mcaca
magalasi
nkhanitu iyo.
musamugende myala
This madman wants Malawians suffering from the suffering that Mutharika created by looting billions to contribute to pay the corrupt looters legal fees. What a joke. Mutharika should be eating salted porridge in prison. I suggest reopen Mikuyu for all corrupt leaders and politicians. So far every President since 1994 deserves to be in Mikuyu as they have been corrupt looters.
Court laku Malawi lachinyengo lokha kumaziweluzila nkhani.Malawi is a sick nation.
Noxy ulila mpaka misonzi igwere mumimba
Mundango who?? Who the heck are these clowns? Why don’t they just crawl back to whichever cave they came from?? Mxii!! Ase!!
Mutharika declare billions in assets. He needs no help. He also looted billions. Send Mutharika packing.
Achitsilu inu, how do you freeze someone’s accounts and order them to pay writhing 14 days
If I had money I could have given it to Onjezani Kenani to use it easily as he has proved to us that he is capable of using the money wisely. Izi aaaaaa I don’t think kuti nzanzeru. Persecution??? Kodi a Dad siwomwewa ankawawuza Mrs Calista Mutharika kuti I will come after you. Amvekere I will throw a ton of bricks???
Mbuzi iwe
you do the deed you pay. no sympathy. He was above the law once. No more. A lesson to all the other dictator/Looter wanabees.
Panya
foolish , if he messed up let the law take its course. are symphathisers of mediocrity?? he thought malawi was his estate forgeting that malawi is a state
Those who benefitted from the plunder can help a fellow thug out of this. We know you and you don’t have to hide. Inu a Nyirenda munyula nazo maliro a eni. Musiyireni Mulli ndi Chisale izi as well as Buluma.
Rediculous that a sitting President can be taken to court by private parties on decisions he has made and to be forced to pay legal costs once found in the wrong. It is the responsibility of the Government the employer of the President and Secretary to pay those costs just as any employer is responsible for their own employees.
In respect to the case if there was wrong doing it is up to Parliment to impeach the sitting President not private organisations.
no one including the president is above the law, if you act outside of the constitution make sure you have the money to defend your actions and don’t expect people who you are violating their constitution to pay for it
The Chief Justice is above the law. Was it not true that he was approaching retirement age? We have 3 arms of government so that they can check each other. Why should the judiciary be above all the other arms of government. It is well known that the judiciary in Malawi craves Independence without accountability and the judiciary in Malawi is just for settling political scores. Awawa atipatse concrete plans, bank accounts etc. We will contribute. Everybody is free to contribute with their money.
Yes you are right. But In this case it was Not the Judicsl Committee that stepped up but Government Funded Organizations which are being compensated for taking the matter before the Court which is wrong. The Judical Committee per the Constitution is a separate Branch of Government as is the Parliment and the Executive (President) It is the Judical Committee which hires and fires Judges which whom should have told the President to Piss Off. Seems to be a problem in Malawi where people do not seem to know their jobs or its limitations.
Paja aliyense ndi lawyer masiku ano kuphatikizapo inu.
Ridiculous too that a sitting president can be stealing and breaking laws willy-nilly. If you live in a glass house don’t throw stones
Which law are you referring to my friend? Silence is golden.
A Mundango, you just want to steal in Peter’s name. You think Peter doesn’t have the capability to complain on himself. Does he require people like you to raise issues on his behalf. You just want to be relevant. Let him raise that issue
You are right. Actually, APM hates you Mr. Nyirenda and does not care about your tribe. Jesus asked whoever gives a son a stone when he asks for bread. The answer is APM gave and placed a stone instead of Mombera University,
Selective justice, where all Mcp and tumbukas win court cases and everyone whose against them falls. Nthawi izakawana naNu muzawona Nyekhwe. A mkaka pompa Mawapatsa 200 million.
Nyekhwe tinaiwona kale wamva. Inu anthu who can only survive through ukhuruku, kudyera ena masuku pamutu ndi kuba. Apa ukunyoza atumbuka koma walemba nkhaniyi ndi mtumbuka yemweyo
Yanu yinatha alomwe wonyasa ngati kumbuyo kwa gslu
Panya
panyapako galu iwe
koma uchitsilu winawu abale……….
This Tumbuka court is disgusting and misguided by the likes of Nyirenda and mkamdawire. How can you freeze someone’s accounts and order them to pay 65 million within14 days. Inu zitsilu eti. Pa ujeni panu.
Infact the frozen account is just one among the coffers where your useless president APM was hiding money. He has other hidden sources of survival this kafadala
His foreign accounts have not been frozen, so Mutharika can transfer from them to pay the costs into malawian accounts of HRDC et al.
The court ordered freezing of APM bank accounts. And now the same court wants APM to pay legal fees. This is truly persecution. Where does he get the money?
Who told you that the source of APM’s money was only the frozen account.
Zankutu zenizeni,ur encouraging corruption,let them pay after all this was a court judgement of which had a chance to be heard,where is the persecution?U unknown journal u just want to gain mileage thru this but u will fail
Not sure if this is right thinking and appeal… looks strange call to me….
Koma iwe you are igniting very bad debate. Surely you think a common malawian shud pay the costs for Muntharika. We have gurus in the party they will come forth. How can Munthalika allow Mulli to borrow monet with a repay period of over 100 yrs and you are telling people nosense here
Muphalire wapulikiske
Hands off Mc Cathy Chakwera, the president, on this this matter. If people have concerns, channel them to court. Arms of the government are different. Appeal to supreme court may either increase the sentence or consider reducing it which to me is doubtful. Fund raising is a good idea. HRDC has no adequate funding.
Justice follows each case. The Judges have no mandate to say this person has already an a case to answer so we should spare him or her. Not that way . His accounts were frozen on another case and the judge in this case is making him pay the costs. Well wishers muthandizeni Dad wanu uyu.
Yambamponi kupeleka zija ankakupatsani after kubera ndikupondeleza mitundu ina
Mmalo mopanga donate to the covid-19 fund, why should we donate to this man with millions in his accounts. His accounts may be frozen, but there are procedures that can be followed to pay the fees using the same frozen accounts. Besides, he seemed comfortable when he was being big headed by messing with the judges. You are not getting a penny from me. Mufyintenge
komadi ati
He will pay through green card and $8 million account he claimed to have made after 40 years in America
Judiciary inadzadza ndi A Tumbuka okha okha anthu akuda khungu ndi maso omwe Komanso mtima womwe. Mkandawire is just pleasing his masterku tonse alliance. Judge wa uve Koma ndiye amene yo
Inu ndinu azungu. Nanga khungu la Mwanamveka bwa? Chaponda bwa? Dausi bwa? Henry Mussa bea? APM bwa? Siyani chipongwe. Inu ndinu namalenga?
How do you expect the Honourable Justice Charles Mkandawire to be impartial in an issue involving the highest office in the Judicial Service Commission and involves his boss. This is utter conflict of interest. You have a junior judge making a ruling on an issue involving his most senior judge in the entire system. Pena pake anthu aku court sindimakumvetsani. The issue of the Chief Justice should have been dealt by his employer and I don’t know who that is in this case. Because it seems the Chief Secretary and the President over stepped their boundaries according to popular belief. Who employs this guy? I am very puzzled. Who ensures that they do their job? Whom are they answerable to? Chifukwa mmene ndikuwonera ine. You cannot be the victim, accuser and judge at the same time. Otherwise, it seems they are free to do whatever they want. To go on leave or not. And no-one can tell them to clear their leave days before retiring.
You tend to Wonder as to Where Some People leave their Brains when they Want to Twist Straight Forward Issues….You have a Whole Professor of Law …Who is supposed to Know what the Law Says and a Judge ??? Who I assume has some knowledge of how the Operates….These People Start Making Funny Decisions which Could have affected the Lives of Millions of Malawians…Don’t drag Our Independent Judiciary into Politics Mr Madango …STupid Decisions have Consequences …That’s the Precedent being Set …Ma Cadet muli ku Opposition but still Judiciary Kulimbana nayo …
Cadet has no brain and thinks with his stomach.
One day someone will lose his life. Believe you me. Justice sometimes is done in other ways. Not only the courts. Real justice will come one day.
What do you mean? Who are you to be threatening like that?
Ukunama iwe. If you happen to use uncivilized ways to get what you want, do you think our brains will be on mute and watch uchitsiru wakowo. It is fire for fire. Anzanufe tinalira ndipo inu mumawona kuti ndi mmene zimakhalira. Nthawi yanu yamaliro yakwana
Mwanena bwino koma kumbukira I kuti palibe wotsala even youuuu
I love this man’s natural being but I hate his ideologies and course of action
NO MERCY. LET HIM FACE IT.
MEC AZAKE AJA MUTHANDIZA.
Anyway poti sizaboma sizatikhuze
Jane Ansah ali phee ku UK
Where are all those monies people used to splash during their rule
Eti eti?
Alhomwe mwadziwa lero zimenezo? Sonkheranani ku Mlakho kwanuko, buy less gondolosi, channel that money towards Epiemu wanuyo
This issue of Alhomwe this…. Atumbuka this… is a time bomb in the making. Kamuzu tried to avoid it at all cost because is a trigger for civil war. Thus how many civil wars begin… tribalism.
Sha mwatokhuta chani ko? Inu pamene anthu awiriwa amachita zazibwana zofunira anzawo zoipa simmaona kuti amalakwa? PERSCUTION yachiani pamene iwowa okhala maloya anayenera kudziwa malamulo adziko osati kupanga zinthu chifukwa chofuna kuika pa mpando abwenzi ao. Nyekwe basi ayiwone amewa appo bi akaseve kumaula.
Both of them are reputable lawyers who could see the consquencies of such action. Should we say they wanted tio score a political creid to their own advantage
They already knew the consequences but thought they would stay forever.
kkkkkkkk ndiye mwati titani.? Tangotulutsani zomwe munaba during his reign basi nkhani yatha. Don’t back anthu amene ankafuna kuononga malamulo coz of greed. Mupanga nokha zimenezo shatapu…
Ndipo mukangoyelekeza kusonkhelana tifrizanso ka ndramako. This is mockery to justice
Wosadanda tiwathandiza adad amene ndi mlerankhungwa. the whole of his five year tenure had never persecuted anyone politically. He deserves support and even a court mmalo moti ayambe apanga unfreeze his accounts lero akumupatsa ultimutum komatu Mulungu akuwona izi ndithu pangalenge mukolola, God will fight for dpp while they are silent!
Mulungu yemweyo ankaona mazunzo amene tinadutsamo mu regime imene ija. Pay back time is now
Tangolipilani. Mwalapa liti ndi usatana wanu muli nawo
Where was God when these clowns were messing around? Ok ok paja mulungu wadzukano