Chisale trial set to start on charges of using fake MSCE certificate to join Malawi army

Former president Peter Mutharika’s private bodyguard, Norman Chisale is this Friday expected to appear before the court in a case two weeks after being unconditionally released from jail as he will answer new charges of using a fake Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) e to join the Malawi Defence Force.

National Police Spokesperson, James Kadadzera confirmed the development, saying Chisale will appear in court in Lilongwe.

Cases of using fake MSCE for prominent Malawian citizens are not new. Top musician-turned-politician Lucius Banda was sentenced to 21 months in jail with hard labour for faking his academic qualifications.

Banda, a chart-busting singer, popularly known as the “soldier of the poor”, was jailed in 2006 when the court found him guilty for  using a fake MSCE certificate to skip an English proficiency test before contesting the 2004 general elections as a member of aprlaiment. He served his jail term.

Meanwhile, Chisale is also facing other criminal charges.

Mutharika’s top bodyguard was first arrested on July 14 2020 in connection with a cement deal and was slapped with two charges of fraud and money laundering.

He was granted bail on July 17 before he was rearrested on a charge of attempted murder involving a woman he shot in Blantyre.

Chisale earlier was denied unconditional release bordering on murder charges of Anti-Corruption Bureau director of corporate affairs Issa Njauju.