Kasambara loses cool in court: Unleashes anger to Malawi top prosecutor

Lawyer and former Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara SC on Wednesday lost his cool in court and his emotions unfolded after Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mary Kachale objected to his questioning line to fifth witness, Keaton Gani.

Trial by error
Kasambara: Lost his cool

Kasambala , businessman Pika Manondo and Macdonald Kumwembe are answering attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murders on former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo.

During cross examination, Kasambara had wanted to establish a fact that on 13th September 2013 he went to Kamuzu International Airport to welcome former South African president Thabo Mbeki and on 14th September he went to Livingstonia Beach in Salima.

Kasambara: In your testimony, you said we went together to Salima on 14 September with Mr Mbeki?

Gani: Yes

Kasambara: Are you aware that a day before I went to the airport to welcome Mbeki during my tour of duty as Minister if Justice?

Gani: Yes

Then Kachale stood on raise an onbjection, accusing Kasambara of misleading the witness.

“Objection my Lord, the questioning line  is misleading the witness to say two statements,” said Kachale.

After presiding Judge Michael Ntambo asked Kasambara on his question tactics, he explained that all he wanted was to ask if Gani, his bodyguard when he was minister, was with him at the airport.

“Misleading,” emphasised Kachale.

Kasambara then unleashed his anger : “With due respect Madam please don’t let me lose my temper, let the court decide on this one.”

Before Ntambo made his determination, Kasambara asked for five minutes adjournment.

“Thirty seconds it’s enough,” ruled  Ntambo.

Mphwiyo’s shooting on 13 September 2013 led to the unravelling of the systematic looting of millions of government money dubbed ‘cashgate’.

He is on record telling the court that Brown Mpinganjira, a senior government official in the former Joyce Banda administration, warned him that Kasambara and another former ruling People’s Party (PP) official Hophmally Makande, had given him “ten days to live” unless he honoured certain government payments.

Makande is not on trial for the case but testified that he had nothing to do with government payments.

Mpinganjira is yet to testify.

Mphwiyo had two bullets hit him in the mandible and another went through his shoulder to his chest. One bullet was removed in a South African hospital but two others – lodged in his spinal column – will remain inside the 39-year-old for the rest of his life.

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Alungwana
Alungwana
8 years ago

I still insist that Mtambo has a personal grudge with Kasambara. That is very uncalled as far as justice is concerned.

Robert Bob Khula
Robert Bob Khula
8 years ago

Aaaa musakambe kuti palibe umboni weniweni pankhani ngati iyo.onse amene akugundidwa ndi kuba chuma chadziko umenewo ndi umboni,chifukwa amapanga akudzi ndipo kuphanya lamulo ladziko.anawonensa kuti dziko lanthu lilibe chitetedzo chokwanila pachuma chathu.anthu awo amangidwe amene ali mugulumo,tawonani anthu osowa aku bvutika chifukwa chambava izo.EG Kasambala akalowe basi ndi wakuba pulasi sigawenga,muswapangire chisono.lne RSA

kadamanja
8 years ago

It looks that Mtambo and Kachale dont want even to hear anything from Kasambara. Dont forget the World is round. Dpp regime iyi. Kukhala nkhondo ku Malawi kuno because of tribalism, regionalism and Nepotism. I am following.

Geoffrey Lwanja
Geoffrey Lwanja
8 years ago

I wish there should be cost/benefit analysis before govt tries to attempt going with certain cases in court.

Some cases look like they will never be concluded,for lack of enough evidence.In the end government loses out.

There are just so many cases going on for cashgate, but it seems very little has been recovered todate.

NZOZO KUNUNKHA
NZOZO KUNUNKHA
8 years ago

why not using the removed bullet number to track down the culprit(s) instead of wasting our time and money……. uhh?

daudi mj
daudi mj
8 years ago

Let the law take its course. This case has taken too long. But should be handled with sober mind. where there is smoke there is fire.

mwana wa mulomwe weniweni
mwana wa mulomwe weniweni
8 years ago

amene angaulure zonse mwachulungamo ndi phwiyoyo.iyeyo ali connected ndi wina aliyense ali mumulandu uwu.onse ndi azinzake.i fail to understand iur judges and law in malawi .why can’t they get it ,that phwino is the central player in the cashgate, the issue of shooting him should come 2nd.Malawians are interested in the cashgate bcoz many people died as a result of malawi not having enough cash to seeve the public,they are not interested with phwiyo’s shooting even if he died few malawians knew him then to feel sorry for him. Malawi kuba sikutha bcoz we have incompetent laywers and judges appointed… Read more »

pinango
pinango
8 years ago

Mmmmmm tiziona chaka chino

Dodolido
Dodolido
8 years ago

Man akulusawa achila ayamba makani zili bwino

Steve kambalame
8 years ago

Zaziiiiiiiiiii!

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