Germany refuses to cancel Chaponda’s visa: CSOs to commence contempt of court proceedings

Germany ambassador to Malawi Jurgen Borsch  has ruled out cancelling a visa his country issued to Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development George Chaponda as requested by civil society organisations in Malawi.

Germany Ambassador to Malawi Jurgen Borsch:  Visa cannot be cancelled

Chaponda  is currently on forced leave of office following an injunction granted by the High Court restraining him from performing official duties but last Thursday sneaked  to Germany on official duties.

“We will not cancel the visa, we don’t get involved in local politics,” Borsch said.

He confirmed that Chaponda had had a long-standing invitation from the German Government through the German Minister of Agriculture in December last year for a conference in Germany.

The trip could be in direct contravention of the High Court order granted by Justice John Chirwa restraining him from carrying out his duties until findings of a commission of inquiry into the controversial purchase of maize from Zambia are concluded.

The envoy refused to take more questions on the matter, saying it would be undiplomatic to comment on local politics.

Chaponda faces contempt of court proceedings in the Mzuzu High Court for proceeding to Germany on official duty after the High Court suspended him to allow smooth investigations into allegations of suspicious dealings in the procurement of maize from Zambia.

Robert Mkwezalamba, the board chairman of Human Rights Consultative Committee said the civil society organisations wrote the Germany embassy in Lilongwe to cancel the visa issued to Chaponda to force him come back home and face court proceedings.

Chaponda rejects any wrong doing in the maize procurement process.

He risks arrest or seizure of his arrest should the court finds him guilty, according to the CSOs lawyer Wesley Mwafulirwa.

Malawi Law Society (MLS) honorary secretary Khumbo Soko said if proved that Chaponda is on official duties, then the minister is guilty of contempt of court.

The CSOs say they will commence contempt of court proceedings against Chaponda.

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Yahya Jammeh
7 years ago

The Ambassador should not lie, he has already shown his political inclination by not cancelling Chaponda’s visa. As a matter of fact the CSOs’ request has no political connotation but rather respect of the rule of law to which the Ambassador himself is subject . What the CSOs Lawyer is to move the court to demand from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to struck off the Ambassador’s immunity and then arrest him. These are the same people who tout the rule of law and having known what became of Chaponda the Ambassador should have put down his foot on Chaponda’s… Read more »

santana
santana
7 years ago

Malawi CSOs thought even the Ambassadors are dunderheads like them. Good that Germany has pumped sense into their heads. Chaponda can come and present himself on the committees but that is not the end of everything. We know that the battle here is to finish him, so we are observing very closely to see if Kamlepo and his group can finish him politically. Its long time you started having sleepless nights with Chaponda. You say you are going to the Airport the day Chaponda comes back. Will Chaponda fail to board his car to his house just because a group… Read more »

seid nkhonjela
seid nkhonjela
7 years ago

my fellow malawians.what is really wrong with you. to be a minister is not just a joke.you want us to loose our tax money for cooked up stories. ? why can’t we be bragging about the maize prices other than this cooked up stories even the people at large are roughing at us. lets have tangable evidence before we attack minsters like in the cash gate. this thinking shouldn’t devide us. we have a very high standard HE who is always straight and he doesn’t take nonsense on board when doing his job.he knows what to do better than you… Read more »

koma abale inu eeh
koma abale inu eeh
7 years ago

Ma CSO and tribalists agwa nazo (failing miserably) in this case. Germany, an advanced democracy cannot be cowed by peasants, in CSOs that are NOT democratic in the way they govern themselves. This whole saga was fueled by that Northern Court in Mzuzu, a court for Northerners. They judge shopped on purpose. And that poor judge, making such an outlandish ruling that’s a joke even among non-lawyers in this country. The judge could have easily dismissed the case, only the premise that the President has the right to appoint and dismiss ministers, EXCEPT in criminal matters. There is NO criminal… Read more »

Paul Njola
Paul Njola
7 years ago

There is need to cancel the visa for Hon. Dr Chaponda becoz the so called injunction was irregular. Germans know better.

Nyekhu
Nyekhu
7 years ago

Bravo , Germany!! The solution is not to cancel the visa. I second. Let Chaponda come home and answers charges of contempt of court.

The CSOs are failing to process the contempt of court, really? Just gather evidence

Nyangulu
Nyangulu
7 years ago
Reply to  Nyekhu

It’s the Govt lawyers not Chaponda who will be dealing with these villagers. High time these misfits went home to herd goats… miserable losers.

maisha
7 years ago

tiona, mwina he owns the country by him self

ngumbe boy
ngumbe boy
7 years ago

American president Donald Trump has, on his first official day in office, reiterated that he will be coming for what he calls “corrupt African leaders” and it is his “first thing on the list”. Speaking from his official residence , The White House, Donald Trump said he is going to make sure he puts behind bars the president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe and South African president Jacob Zuma. Also on his list is Swaziland King Mswati III, Omar Al-Bashir, President of Sudan, José Eduardo dos Santos, President of Angola , Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea and Yoweri… Read more »

Garland Philrn
Garland Philrn
7 years ago
Reply to  ngumbe boy

Bodza ili. Mwazitenga kuti za Donald Trump? Wayankhulira kuti statement imeneyi? Mukalamba nalo bodza….

alief
alief
7 years ago

What an arrogant from the ambassador, those western countries they are able to stop funding corrupt regimes, but they can not help us in this matter claiming that this was internal matter, so if is like that they must also resume the budgetary support because those corruption scandals that are the reasons why they stopped the aid is a local issue.

yaki
7 years ago

Malawians you are just jealous of each other.This is politically motivated and quite stupid.
Opposition you will lose again in 2019

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