Chief Justice Nyirenda under fire for abuse of office, nepotism

Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda has come under intense fire from some concerned  junior staff of the judiciary over abuse of office and nepotism allegations.

He is accused of recruiting close relations into the Judiciary, including his own son, without proper laid down Judiciary procedures.

The concerned junior staff have since reported Nyirenda and Judicial Service Commission   to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and office of the ombudsman  for breaching recruitment procedures.

According to the letter seen by Nyasa Times, the law states that only officers who are  entitled  to practice law in Malawi can be employed as professional magistrates.

The letter further claims that without proper justification the judicial service commission employed Tamanda Nyimba,  personal assistant to the Chief Justice who also chairs the Judicial Commission.

The letter further alleges that,  Nyimba who is a nephew to Nyirenda, studied law outside the country but  never sat for bar exams in order to qualify for the position of  a professional magistrate and to practice in Malawi.

The concerned group argues that  some of the people who are employed in  the research department and magistracy  sat for bar exams and are qualified for the position of  a professional magistrate.

The letter adds that two P4 positions fell vacant and were given to relations of some members of the commission without conducting interviews.

These are his worship Mzondi Mvula  and his worship Kondwani Banda as was then.

The concerned junior officers have also accused the Chief Justice of employing his own biological son Wanangwa Nyirenda as an intern for research department without any competitive interview  and  a year later promoting him to the position of Senior Resident Magistrate.

Meanwhile, the group has argued that this is a breach of  established recruitment procedure.