Kasambara denies being opposition legal advisor

Convicted former minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ralph Kasambara, who is on bail pending his appeal  at  Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal  against his convition, has dismissed speculation that he is working behind the scenes as opposition legal advisor.

Kasambara, who was convicted to 13 years for conspiracy to murder former Ministry of Finance budget director Paul Mphwiyo,  denied legal advisory role to political parties in Malawi.

“It has come to my attention and that of my family and friends that some people are  associating me with legal advisory role to certain political parties, UTM and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) in particular,” said Kasambara

He said the social media posts by those who don’t wish him well have gone too far as to allege  that he was commenting on the ongoing UTM registration case that was being heard in court as  deliberate move  to put him on a head-on collision with the judiciary.

“As a lawyer I know it too well that its unethical to comment on sucess or failure of ongoing cases. And I can not be doing that.

“The gossip statuses were maliciously posted by my detractors so as to deliberately put me on a head-on collission with the judiciary,” said Kasambara.

He vehemently denied that he is not a legal advisor to or part of legal team of the UTM or MCP.

“I took a break from active politics and I have spent most of my time with family and friends,” said Kasambara.

“The time I will decide to be active in politics or take up legal advisory role for certain political parties I will come out openly and the public will hear it from me.

“Peace and privacy are important aspects of life. Let us learn to respect people who have chosen such to live their lives without intruding,” he said.

Kasambara, who served as minister during the administration of Joyce Banda, was given a 13-year jail term by High Court judge Michael Mtambo for conspiracy to murder in a crime linked to a multi-billion kwacha corruption ring. He had been in prison for one year and seven months before being released on bail.

The High Court also convicted and sentenced Pika Manondo and McDonald Kumwembe to 15 years each for attempted murder of Mphwiyo who survived gun wounds, an incident that led to the revelation of the corruption scandal widely known as Cashgate.