Demand to go through Buluma’s phone stalls Nocma fuel deals case
Graft busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director general Martha Chizuma has told the Chief Resident Magistrate Court in Lilongwe to refuse the defense counsel in the infamous Nocma fuel deals case, permission to go through key state witness, Hellen Buluma mobile phone.
This came up on Tuesday when hearing of the case resumed at the court as the defense counsel continued to cross examine former National Oil Company (Nocma) deputy chief executive officer Helen Buluma.
Former presidential aide Chris Chaima Banda, former Minister of Energy Newton Kambala and Alliance for Democracy (Aford) president Enoch Chihana are accused of influencing awarding of fuel contracts at Nocma.
The defense lawyers on Monday demanded the ACB should bring to court on Tuesday a phone that Buluma used to record conversations that are being used as evidence in court.
The defense asked for the phone so that it can use the same in cross examination of Buluma.
However, when defence lawyer Bright Theu started accessing contents of the phone to cross-examine Buluma on Tuesday, ACB protested to have defence lawyers go through the phone saying an inspection exercise of the phone already took place.
Chizuma wondered why the defense team wants to go through State witness Helen Buluma’s phone now when the inspection was already done and there were safeguards.
“We want to find out what exactly they want to achieve? We are having strong temptations,” said Chizuma.
Defense lawyer Khumbo Soko told the court that the defense made some observations after the disclosures were made, hence the need to go through the phone again.
Soko added that if the State is not comfortable with defence team going through the phone then they should withdraw the contents of the phone that were submitted as evidence.
He has also also expressed concern that Chizuma suggested that the defence lawyers will delete recordings in the phone.
ACB lawyer Imran Saidi maintained that the exercise that the defence lawyers want to make already took place.
Saidi said the iPhone that the defense lawyers want to inspect is not an ordinary gadget.
He said it has items and if pressed wrongly could lose items in the phone.
Chief Resident Magistrate Madalitso Chimwaza adjourned the sitting and will make a ruling on the matter later.
