Court rebuffs DPP plea on bail revocation: Mphwiyo shooting case

Malawi High Court Judge Micheal Mtambo has refused to revoke bail of suspects in the attempted murder case of former Ministry of Finance budget director Paul Mphwiyo.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mary Kachale , who had earlier withdrawn the application on grounds that it was overtaken by events, re-applied for bail revocation of the suspects including former Justice Minister Raphael Kasambara who is representing himself in the case.

Kachale’s application was based on fears that the accused were threatening state witnesses, particularly Charles Chalunda.

The DPP, who accused the defence of applying ‘mafia-like operations’, submitted before Judge Ntambo a four hour recording in which Chalunda confessed that he was being threatened.

However, the Judge who called Chalunda being eccentric in the recording said the evidence failed to prove the case.

He said the witness failed to identify who exactly was threatening him.

Chalunda disowned his recorded voice and also disclaimed his first affidavit despite telling the court it was correct.

Other suspects in the shooting of Mphwiyo case include Pika Manando, Dauka Manondo, Robert Kadzuwa and Macdonald Kumwembe.

Mphwiyo’s shooting at the gate of his Area 43 residence opened a can of worms into the plunder of government resources at Capital Hill in what has been dubbed Cashgate.