DPP maintains ‘mafia-like’ operations in Mphwiyo case: Malawi judges security enhanced

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mary Kachale has maintained her stand that the State is dealing with mafia-like operations in the case of the shooting of former Ministry of Finance budget director Paul Mphwiyo and has asked the High Court to revoke the bail of former Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldier Macdonald Kumwembe , claiming he is a “threat” to presiding judge Michael Mtambo.

High Court Judge Michael Mtambo: To rule whether to opt out or not
High Court Judge Michael Mtambo: To rule whether to opt out or not

Kumwembe, alongside businessperson Pika Manondo and former minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ralph Kasambara were found with a case to answer in the shooting of Mphwiyo outside the gate of his Area 43 residence in Lilongwe on September 13 2013.

The former soldier and Manondo are also charged with conspiracy to murder Mphwiyo.

Mphwiyo shooting seemed to have unravelled the massive plunder of government resources at Capital Hill later dubbed Cashgate.

The top prosecutor in her application in the High Court in Lilongwe said Kumwembe asked the judge to recuse himself from the case allegedly because he (Kumwembe) believed Mtambo had already pronounced a guilty sentence.

“In his application to have judge Mtambo recuse himself, Kumwembe said the judge had already pronounced the guilty sentence on them, otherwise why did he [the judge] travel with a police officer with a gun on his way [back] to Blantyre?

“Now, as State, we are wondering how he [Kumwembe] knew that judge Mtambo came to the courts without a policeman and left with one? He even named the policeman who escorted the judge. How did he get hold of such details? From his statement, we know that he has been following the judge; hence, the application.”

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up for some judges handling Cashgate-related cases amid concerns of threats to their lives, the press reported .

The press reported that during the conviction of former Ministry of Tourism assistant director Leonard Kalonga for his involvement in Cashgate last week, High Court judge Fiona Mwale refused to walk about 200 metres even with police escort, for fear of her life.

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Snipper from Ntcheu
Snipper from Ntcheu
9 years ago

komatu mukangomusiya kumwembe hell will broke loose…..

mulamu pelekani@gmail.com

Nyachi: kuopa is what has made these people to continue stealing they know how coward Malawians are. You Malawians kept quite for 32 years of Banda regime do you want to do that even now? A man has o die for what he/she believe in. People are dying to defend their rights and their nation. 20 youths died during Bingu,s shoot to kill. What did you do about? Another Muntharika.

mulamu pelekani@gmail.com

Its ok to write comments here, but does this help us? What will help us? Too afraid to take actions. Coward? Many just have givn up. Its is shame that a small nation without civil war is still he poorest in the world. And no oneis ashamed. To day no Malawian can say good about the nation before others nationalit say BUT MALAWI IS VERY POOR. Then I keep quite. What do I say? SHAME. We have contributed to poverty of our nation. Each one of us have done it by doing nothing abut it, and choosing bad leaders. And… Read more »

Bwampini Titoni
Bwampini Titoni
9 years ago

Mungovomereza kuti munagwidwa and you need to paybac all govt funds

nkrumah
nkrumah
9 years ago

Dpp, judge mtambo and suspects of cashgate are mafia. I know them as CIA agent

Truck
Truck
9 years ago

WE TOLD YOU CASHGATE JUDGES NOT TO GIVE BAIL THESE CASHGATE GUYS NOW YOU SEE THEY WANT TO KILL YOU JUDGES SEEING IS BELIEVING WHEN WE TOLD YOU DONT BELIEVE YOU SAY ITS AGAINST HUMAN RIGHT WHAT HUMAN RIGHT WHEN THEY WERE STEALING GOVERNMENT THE DIDNT KNOW THAT WHEN HOSPITALS THERE WILL BE SHORTAGE OF MEDICINE AND FAILING TO PAY WORKERS ITS AGAINST HUMAN RIGHT NOW JUDGES YOUR DANCING YOUR OWN TUNES.YOU MUST GIVE THEM HARSH SENTENCE SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE MUST LEARN FROM THEM.

Mwanafyale Mukulumba,
Mwanafyale Mukulumba,
9 years ago

JB amachita kuzichemelera kuti wakuba ndi amene wagwidwa osati wogailidwa mumisonkhano while the povos were busy clapping hands for her useless speeches.Now she claims that she will be killed when she lands in Malawi,to be awarded some asylum in some foreign countries for masterming the infamous big loot in her country and she wants Malawians to pity her.She should come and clear her name in the court.Afterall she is not above the law.For how long will Malawi have its leaders who have no regard for their country for 51 years of shameful poverty who liked to be clapped hands for… Read more »

Sayimoni bayisikolo,
Sayimoni bayisikolo,
9 years ago

Koma Ndiye muphanadi ndi chuma mwaloweza chakuba pa Malawi.You can’t just trust the justice system full of double standards to the criminal.Why can’t you clean the system from Bingus time upto date? You are only showing Malawians that cashgate started during JB’s time while in the real sense it started during Muluzis,Bingus time upto date.Anthu alemera koopsya ndi taxpayers money pa Malawi,while the honest hardworking taxpayers is reeling in stinking poverty.Malawi will never amount to anything with its useless system of protecting thieves.It will always remain at the base of the highly impoverished countries in the world.

Nzika yenyen
Nzika yenyen
9 years ago

Aphedwe bcoz akukondla

David
David
9 years ago

The suspect is asking the judge to rescue himself from the case. In support of his application he said what you have read above. In response to the petition the DPP is asking the court to revoke bail for the suspect. In my view the DPP response is out of order because it does not address or challenge the suspect concerns. Further the suspect is asking the judge, why can’t the judge himself respond on the concerns of the suspect. Suspects have the rights to be heard on the concerns and if their concerns are genuine they need to be… Read more »

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