Kasambara sentenced to 13 years jail: Malawi ex-justice minister appeals

Former minister of justice Ralph Kasambara  has been sentenced to 13 years  prison term on the count of conspiracy to murder former budget director Paul Mphwiyo.

Kasambara was convicted of conspiring to murder Mphwiyo alongside former Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldier Macdonald Kumwembe  and businessperson Pika Manondo who faced a separate charge of attempting to murder the former budget director.

Justice Micheal Mtambo also sentenced Manondo and   Kumwembe to 15 years  IHL for attempted murderand  11yrs for conspiracy to murder.

Manondo and  Kumwembe’s sentences will run consecutively, meaning they will serve 26 years  in prison.

Mphwiyo’s shooting at the gate of his Area 43 residence in Lilongwe is believed to have exposed Cashgate, the plunder of public resources at Capital Hill.

The case, which started in 2013, has been marred with hurdles ranging from application for recusals from defence, defence being thrown back into jail for contempt of court and other excuses.

Meanwhile, the three are appealing Supreme Court against the sentence and conviction.