Lilongwe Mayor sues council chief executive officer for defamation

Lilongwe City Mayor Desmond Bikoko has taken the council chief executive officer Moza Zeleza to court for defamation as the working relationship between elected officers and members of staff continue to sour at the council.

Court documents indicate that Bikoko is demanding sums of money from Zeleza after the chief executive officer allegedly called the mayor corrupt and serves self-interests at the council.

The court documents say Zeleza said this at a meeting in Salima.

Bikoko confirmed that he has indeed sued his chief executive officer but refused to give details.

Zeleza said the issue is with ministry of Local Government officials.

Officials from the ministry said they were handling the matter so that the issue can be resolved amicably out of court and refused to give details, saying this might jeopardise the peace process of the two influential figures at the council.

Bikoko also took a driver at the council to court on allegations that he stole huge sums of money from his official vehicle when some members of staff were staging protests against the mayor.