Kaphale whinges Chakwera ‘overly protected’ unlike Chilima: Court forces AG to withdraw remark

Attorney General (AG) Kalekeni Kaphale, told the Constitutional Court in Lilongwe that Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential hopeful Lazarus Chakwera,  the second petitioner in the historic presidential elections nullification petition case, was  being “overly protecting” him from the gruelling cross examination.

Kaphale, in his capacity as government’s chief legal adviser, is representing Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) – the second respondent – has also accused lawyers of the country’s immediate past vice-president Saulos Chilima, the first petitioner of similar over protecting of their witness.

But on Thursday, Kaphale said unlike Chilima, the MCP leader was overly protected.

“There is too much over protection of this witness unlike Honourable Chilima,” said Kaphale.

He was also unhappy that the court could not allow him to cross-examine Chakwera for seven days as it only limited him to one day.

But the five-judge panel asked Kaphake to withdraw his statement that Chakwera was being overly protected.

“All that I said in that paragraph is withdrawn,” Kaphale obliged.

In his cross-examination, Kaphale asked Chakwera why his petition had no support of any monitor in the May elections.

Chakwera, who wants nullification of the May 21 2019 presidential election and an order for a rerun, said they were being represented by those who have sworn- statements to be witnesses and will outline their case.

The MCP president said he was seeking “justice” in court for the elections which were marred with irregularities, saying the issues he has brought to court are not  figment f his imagination but about real issues which occurred on the ground.

Chakwera and Chilima claim that the elections were marred with irregularities and fraud. Mutharika is a respondent to the case alongside MEC.