Malawi judges condemn DPP for attacks on Judiciary without justified cause

Magistrates and Judges Association of Malawi (Majam) and Association for Magistrates (AMA) has condemned the governing  Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for attacking the Judiciary and claiming that the five judges that annulled the May 21 2019 presidential election received bribes.

DPP  has claimed that it  haspetitioned the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the Judiciary through Blantyre City Council (BCC), that they were ready to testify against the five judges it claimed had received bribes to rule in favour of the petitioners.

But  the two local associations say the attacks on the Judiciary are without justified cause, specifically on the five judges.

In the statement, signed by Majam president Howard Pemba and AMA president Patrick Mwamale, they said if there was any criminal suspicion, there is a due process of the law that must be followed.

“Being bodies whose membership comprise these judges, among others, we would like to condemn in the strongest term the demonstrations and accompanying attacks on the judges by the DPP and its leadership.

“The conduct of the DPP in this regard does not only undermine the rule of law but also the integrity and independence of the Judiciary. This we say bearing in mind that the matter for which the demonstrations are being conducted is now in the Supreme Court of Appeal,” reads the statement.

DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi said it was within their constitutional right to demonstrate and express themselves.

The Constitutional Court led by five judges – Healey Potani, Redson Kapindu, Ivy Kamanga, Mike Tembo and Dingiswayo Madise – nullified the May 21 2019 presidential polls on February 3 2020 due to irregularities that marred the election process.