Cashgate, Mphwiyo shooting case records goes missing: Court clerk claims robbery

Case records on the shooting of Malawi’s former Ministry of Finance budget director Paul Mphwiyo and money laundering (cashgate) has gone missing with a court clerk claiming she has been robbed of the recorders and other documents involving various cashgate cases.

The court clerk claimed thieves have made away with two recorders that contain court information on Cashgate cases and also the ongoing Paul Mphwiyo attempted-murder case.

The robbery is said to have occurred Tuesday mid-day at the Crossroads Complex where a gang forced into her vehicle and took away the record.

The disappearance of the court records comes after prosecutors accused the defence of employing ‘mafia-like operations’ in the case.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mary Kachale said in Lilongwe that the state was facing “peculiar” circumstances.

“We might not be experts of mafia-like operations, but it looks like we are dealing with mafia-like operations,” Kachale said.

The defence includes former minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ralph Kasambara who  is answering charges of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder alongside Macdonald Kumwembe who Mphwiyo identified as the shooter, Dauka Manondo, Pika Manondo, Robert Kadzuwa and Osward Lutepo. Lutepo is yet to enter his plea while the other suspects have pleaded not guilty.