Commonwealth law organisations condemns DPP for attacking Malawi judiciary

Three international law organizations have launched a blistering assault on the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for its anti-Constitutional Court judges, telling the party to withdraw the bribery allegation from the graft busting body.

The institutions under Commonwealth have rebuked the DPP for what they call “unsubstantiated” allegations against the five judges who presided over the presidential election case.

The organizations, Commonwealth Lawyers Association, Commonwealth Judges Association and Commonwealth Judges and Magistrates Association describe the DPP’s allegations as misleading to the public.

“Democracy will be gravely undermined if judgements of the courts are not respected and if there are uncorraborated and unfounded allegations against the Judiciary,” reads part of a statement by the three organizations.

“The courts are the guardians of justice, the cornerstone of a democratic system based on the rule of law. Democracy will be gravely undermined if judgements of the courts are not respected and if there are uncorroborated and unfounded accusations against the Judiciary.

“Any allegation of corruption must be investigated thoroughly by the correct authorities and accurate information must be reported to members of the public,” reads the statement.

But the DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi has refused to comment on the matter.

The Malawi Law Society also condemned the DPP for the anti-judges attitude.

The DPP claims the judges received bribes from a construction industry mogul Simbi Phiri to rule the Constitutional Court case in favour of Dr Saulos Chilima and Dr Lazarus Chakwera, allegations Phiri has strenuously denied.

A finance services business tycoon Thomson Mpinganjira, who has high level connections to the DPP was arrested a few weeks ago on charges of attempts to bribe the same five judges with K100 million.

Mpinganjira denies the charges.