Kasambara claims DPP Kachale has ‘vendetta’ against him: Calls Lutepo state’s ‘favourite’

Malawi’s former Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara, who is answering charges related to the shooting of a former budget director Paul Mphwiyo and another offence of money laundering  in connection with cashgate, on Thursday accused the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mary Kachale of having a personal vendetta against him.

He made the accusations in the High Court in Lilongwe.

Kasambara told the court during the hearing of the case which he alongside businessman Pika Manondo, Dauka Manondo and Macdonald Kumwembe are being accused of attempted murder on Mphwiyo – also another cashgate suspect.

Prosecution has accused the defence of employing ‘mafia-like operations’ to intimidate State witnesses and wants bail revoked for Kasambara and other suspects Macdonald Kumwembe who Mphwiyo identified as the shooter, Dauka Manondo, Pika Manondo, Robert Kadzuwa and Osward Lutepo.

Kachale accuses them of harassing state witnesses.

The application was made through affidavits sworn by state prosecutor Ecock Chibwana and Senior Supritendant Kampara Chilinda who were asked to meet two state witnesses and alleged there was a mafia-like clandestine to harass them.

But Kasambara shot down prosecution claims.

“Your Lordship, the things are being handled only shows that the DPP has a personal vendetta against me that’s why they made an application to revoke our bail except their favourite (Osward) Lutepo,” he said.

However this did not go well with Kachale who said she respect Kasambara and has nothing against him.

“When I was a junior lawyer he was an Attorney General and I learnt a lot of things from him so I don’t have a personal vendetta against him.

“The allegations are far from truth and he knows it, the DPP office is independent and impartial. Just to put it on record that when I was being appointed the DPP, Lutepo was a state witness and after studying the file I applied to the court to have him an accused person so if he was my favourite I couldn’t do that,” she said.

Meanwhile, the state has served the defence and the court with a four hour recording in which the two witnesses narrate how they are being intimidated.