Lawyer Bonzoe Soko brands Chokhotho’s threatening claims as malicious

Lawyer Khumbo Bonzoe Soko, who was spokesperson of the legal team for Vice-President Saulos Chilima in the presidential election nullification case, has denied claims by lawyer Tamando Chokotho, who represented Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) in the Constitutional Court that he threatened him.

Soko: Allegations are  unreasonable, vile and malicious
Chokhotho made the claims

Chokhotho on September 17 2020 reported to Malawi Law Society (MLS) that Soko, alongside another lawyer Marshal Chilenga, received intimidation threats and attempts to wrongfully influence him to abuse his duties as regards to subsequent developments in the case.

But in his response to the law society, Soko in his letter dated September 22 2020 denied charges of intimidation and alleged attempt to wrongfully influence Chokhotho in his conduct of the matter.

“I actually find the said allegations to be unreasonable, vile and malicious and specifically designed to injure my reputation as a legal practitioner,” said Soko in his response.

He said Chokhotho’s claims “actually border on harassment.”

Soko said Chokhotho “conveniently omitted” to address in his letter that “this was not the first time that we have had conversations about elections case in general as well as the issue of party and party costs in particular.”

In his letter to Malawi Law Society, Soko has attached screenshots of Whatsapp and Facebook conversations he had with Chokhotho.

“I must say that the decision of Mr Chokhotho to deprive your office of the full contests in which we had our exchanges is rather telling of his intentions and motive,” reads Soko’s letter.

He said lawyers are permitted to engage each other with a view to settling matters that are being litigated in court.  According to Soko, this helps achieving expeditious as well as economic disposal of cases.

“It would be a sad day for this jurisdiction if honest interactions between counsels aimed at expeditiously resolving court matters would be stifled by an apprehension that their colleague on the other side would run screaming like a frightened toddler to the authorities alleging all sorts of fanciful ethical malfeasance,” reads part of the letter.

Chokotho claimed in his letter that after receiving orders on August 10 and 12 from the High Court Registrar’s office on assessment of costs related to the election case with instructions to seek review of the costs, he was then communicated to that he should ignore the review process expected to be done by the court and proceed to pay, allegedly being warned to face consequences if he insisted in the review of the costs.

The letters have also been coped to Chief justice Andrew Nyirenda, Anti Corruption Bureau director general Reyneck Matemba, Blantyre Police Station officer-in-charge and MEC chairperson.

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Mwinithako
Mwinithako
3 years ago

As much as we know that the MLS is full of Tonse Alliance sympathisers ,they will try as much as possible to hide the truth claiming as if they are perfect in Law.It also shows it favouring the North and the Centre.The South is taken as if its full of dunderheads.Which of course is not true.We have the cream in law from the South.Time is coming for them to emerge the best as well.Law experts from the North always oppress the Southerners for fear of the unknown.Anawa muzaona akutulukila mu MLS.Chokotho is a star.Wknew for sure Simbi Phiri bribed all… Read more »

Kuchinda
Kuchinda
3 years ago

Chokhotho ndi NKHUKU. Amvekere I’m being threatened. Chicken shit scaredy-cat

Money first
Money first
3 years ago

The main problem in Malawi is that we have too many crooked lawyers and accountants. These two professions are capable of concealing theft and defending lies.

Mwinithako
Mwinithako
3 years ago
Reply to  Money first

Nawenso fisi iwe ukuti chani apaaa.Wasowa zolemba osamangodya nyemab zako bwanji.Ake zauchisiru.Uuuu

Bollard
3 years ago

My seven year old grand daughter at Sir Harry Johnstone thinks much better than these idiots of lawyers. [..she teaches her friends at Mponda primary school!]

DRAKE
DRAKE
3 years ago

Our Lawyers are a disgrace! now we have some rascals putting on the Wig and this is very dangerous for Malawi. No one is above the Law, but in Malawi I think they have been given that authority, even undermining the leadership of the Nation. I hope Tonse Govt will sort out.

zomba womba
zomba womba
3 years ago

This Chokhotho guy received K400m for losing the elections case whilst representing MEC. This is completely ridiculous. How do you get paid for negative results? Unsymmetric payoff structure, win or lose you still get paid right. The funny thing is that he is a former colleague of Kaphale. How did he get the contract to represent MEC? Your guess is as good as mine.

mascot
mascot
3 years ago

You guys are lawyers. Just present proper evidence basi. Mesa mumati it’s a court of evidence.

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