Lawyer Mumba arrested over Kasambara’s bail
Malawi Police on Thursday arrested lawyer Shepherd Mumba in connection with the signing of bail papers for Ralph Kasambara, a prominent critic of President Bingu wa Mutharika and former attorney general.
Police claimed Kasambara’s first release from Chichiri Maximum Security Prison had procedural infringement after his arrest on accusation of occasioning bodily harm on a trio who reportedly attempted to assassinate him and petrol-bomb his offices and residence in Blantyre.
Mumba who signed the bail papers for Kasambara confirmed to Nyasa Timesthat he has been picked by Police.
- Kasambara: Case is politically motivated
“Yes, I am under arrest,” he said from a Blantyre Police Station.
His lawyer and partner in the legal firm, Chimwemwe Kalua, said the arrest is to do with the signing he did at Chichiri prison during Kasambara’s first release on bail.
Police are accusing Mumba of obtaining the release of Kasambara “illegally”.
National police spokesperson Dave Chingwalu said he did not have information on the developments and needed to verify.
Others Wapona Kita and Lusungu Gondwe – from Kasambara’s law firm- were questioned by Anti Corruption Bureau on how they obtained bail for the former Attorney General.
Kasambara believes his case is politically motivated because he has been outspoken in his criticism of Mutharika, and true to his pledge that he would not be deterred from opposing the President, he resounded his call for Mutharika to resign in a radio interview last week
He told Capital FM Straight Talk: “Mutharika must resign immediately. Infact he must have done that yesterday.”
Kasambara, a leading lawyer in private practice, said if Mutharika “goes today there will be no problem.”
He explained: “If Bingu goes the vice president will take over, the Constitution is very clear on that.”
“I would really wish him retire in 2014 and go to Ndata Palace and issues of accountability takes place.”
He said when Mutharika loses his immunity from prosecution at the end of his tenure, he will be quizzed on how “he build Ndata, 58 bedrooms, with two helipads.”
Kasambara also said he does not buy the notion that Mutharika is wrongly advised, saying when things go well the President wants to get all the credit. Similarly, he said, he should be accused of all the wrong doings.
He said the President is aware of criticism and advises in the public domain
“Bingu reads newspapers including Nyasa Times online,” Kasambara, the first Attorney General of Mutharika said on the radio.
“Our government is not a listening government. We have learnt that we don’t have professional police,” he added.
He also defended his release from prison, saying his legal team did not bulldoze its way through the court process, but simply followed the procedures like the police, who obtained a search warrant for his house and office, through the same courts.
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