Court adjourns Dutch national’s sexual abuse trial in Blantyre, no new date set

The Blantyre Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court has failed to proceed with the ongoing trial of a Dutch national facing sexual abuse charges, with the matter now adjourned to a date yet to be announced.

State prosecutor Victor Jere said that the court had informed both parties last week that Chief Resident Magistrate Paul Chiotcha would be unavailable to hear the case today or tomorrow due to other official commitments occupying him throughout the week.

The case has centred on allegations against the accused relating to his role at the Timotheos Foundation.

Last month, witness Wim Akster told the court that, in his view, senior officials at the foundation had implicated the accused in the charges out of jealousy.

A further six witnesses have since given evidence supporting Akster’s account.

Defence counsel Michael Goba Chipeta has told the court that he intends to call 16 witnesses in his client’s defence against five charges relating to alleged sexual offences against underage boys connected to the Timotheos Foundation.

The trial is expected to resume once a new hearing date has been confirmed by the court.