Chaponda’s corruption case in Maizegate drags over missing document: Court adjourns
The Zomba acting Chief Resident Magistrate Paul Chiotcha on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of the corruption-related case christened as ‘Maizegate’ against former minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development George Chaponda to February 21 after defence lawyers claim some key documents which will help their case not in the bundle served to them.
Chaponda is answering three charges out of the four which include giving false information to Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), influencing a public officer to misuse his position and possession of foreign currency while his co-accused Rashid Tayub of Transglobe Produce Export is answering to the charge of persuading a public officer to misuse his position. They both pleaded not guilty.
The defence was expected to cross examine the third state witness Robert Mbuzi Mkandawire who works as an investigator at the ACB.
However, Chaponda’s defence lawyer Tamando Chokhotho argued that the defence needed some more time before cross examining the witness because the State served them some documents late on Tuesday.
Chokhotho also observed that the documents which they were served with refer to other documents which the prosecution did not serve them.
Among the documents was a letter dated October 22 2016 which Chaponda allegedly wrote to former Admarc chief executive officer Foster Mulumbe.
Chokhotho filed an application requesting the State to produce the “new” documents which the prosecution witness referred to in his statement.
“We realised the State were referring to other documents which we were not served with and we have never seen or heard about them yet three witnesses have so far testified,” said Chokhotho.
But Macmillan Chakhala, lead State counsel, disputed Chokhotho’s claim.
Chakhala, who is principal prosecution officer for ACB, said there were no fresh documents,
Magistrate Chiotcha therefore directed that the State should serve the defence the said documents before February 16.
The case will run for two days, from February 21 to 22.
The former Cabinet minister alongside Tayub, a Transglobe Produce Limited director and Grace Mijiga-Mhango, chairperson of the Grain Traders and Processors Association of Malawi (GTPA), were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on suspicion of corruption relating to procurement of government maize from Zambia.
Recently, Tayub’s lawyer asked the court to have his matter heard separately but the State opposed to the application.
Chaponda is answering three charges out of the four which include giving false information to ACB, influencing a public officer to misuse his position and possession of foreign currency while Tayub is answering to the charge of persuading a public officer to misuse his position. They both pleaded not guilty.
He was fired from Cabinet on February 22 2017 following public pressure after the ACB instituted investigations on allegations of his involvement in the K26 billion maize import deal from Zambia, popularly known as maizegate.
Chaponda is currently vice president of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the Southern Region.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Most people commenting on Chaponda stories were hired by him to clean up his image as he is preparing to be the head of this nation one day
apa nde zayamba kuonekelatu that Chaponda is going to win this case, our ACB has shown that it based much of its evidence through rumors, just like the way it is handling JB cash gate scandal
Ndakhala ndikunena ine kuti atolankhani athuwa ndiwofunika mapama kapena titi makofi especially a times group and mbc. Their reporting is full of hate and bias.
Zayambika pano ndi pamalawi. who doesnt want courtgate????????????????
koma anthu inu mukutipepeletsa takulakwilani chani. ma document munaocha nokha nde lero mukunama kuti documents are missing. mutiyesa if zitsilu. Mulungu akukuonanani
People were brainwashed by MCP mouthpiece dailytimes that Chaponda anaba.Anaba chani? kuti? liti? pa milandu yonse akuyankhayi pali zokuba? ACB inatafuna zambiri pano ikukanika kutafuna.
The fact that your lovely mbc was so mum on this does not mean that there were no sinister moves going on. Don’t forget that the DPP also have a very lousy mouthpiece. And actually you can help me answer this question, “Why was his (Chaponda) office up in smoke when the rumors were just strife about the abuse of office and the revelations on the huge stacks of currencies at his home. Your hatred for MCP will kill you. The man has a case or two to answer. As patriotic Malawians, regardless of tribe and whatsoever, it is high… Read more »
This case shows how shallow- minded many are in this country.The charges Chaponda is answering do not equal to the hatred we all have for him.Media misled us.Tidzakwiya zenizeni when he wins
Your Emotions on Facebook will not change the fact that courts and lawyers need to follow procedures.If the defense team are saying they did not receive the documents in time, serve them as requested.ACB is disorganized and i will not be surprised when Chaponda wins the case
That’s true