Mphwiyo fails to take plea: Likhunya added on the roll call of cashgate suspects

Former budget director in the ministry of finance and gun-shot survivor Paul Montfort Mphwiyo and his 17 other suspects in the K2.4 billion cashgate case have failed to take plea on Thursday at Lilongwe  High Court as prosecutors added another suspect in the case.

Mphwiyo and his wife after court.-photo by Mphatso Nkhoma, Nyasa Times
Mphwiyo and his wife after court.-photo by Mphatso Nkhoma, Nyasa Times
Lawyers coming out of court P-hoto by Mphatso Nkhoma, Nyasa Times
Lawyers coming out of court P-hoto by Mphatso Nkhoma, Nyasa Times

Mphwiyo was expected to take plea to four charges that was levelled against him by the state in the court last month together with 17 others who include former Accountant General David Kandoje,  treasury employee Roosevelt Ndovie, Contractor Stafford  Mpoola, Limumba Karim and others.

But soon after the start of the court session Thursday morning, Director of Public Prosecutions  (DPP) Mary Kachale who is being assisted Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB ) deputy director general Reyneck Matemba informed the court that with powers that was vested into them in the constitution which allows them to add any posible suspect they have added up Steve Likhunya Phiri on the charge sheet.

Kachale told the court that the suspect is currently remanded at Maula Prison as he was arrested fortnight .

He will be represented by lawyer Shadreck Mhango in the case.

Kachale told the court that Likhunya Phiri has been added on the accused list because of his role that led to the looting of K2,444,817,450.49 by the other 18 accused suspects.

The DPP said Likhunya is an IT (information technology ) expert and is suspected to have been the one tampering with software IFMIS.
“Likhunya Phiri’s role is like an umbrella, this is so because there are other things that could not happen if not he did not take part or offer his expertise in IT and tamper with IFMIS for the suspects to loot,” Kaphale told the court.

Kachale told the court that the Likhunya Phiri will answer four charges the same like first accused person Mphwiyo which are 
1. Money Laundering 
2. Conspiracy to defraud 
3. Theft by Public servant 
4. Theft by servant 
Lawyer rShadreck Mhango told the court that he needed time to talk to his client who by then was at Maula Prison but on his way coming and asked for court to adjourn for some minutes.
After an hour of beak when the court reconvened Mhango told the court that his client has no problem to be charged together with other suspects but he said he was not ready to take plea as he is yet to be served with all necessary documents from the state.

Mphwiyo objections
Kachale also told the court that Mphwiyo who is being represented by lawyer Titus Mvalo and others served her with objections Wednesday afternoon and that leading counsel of all other 14 lawyers representing all suspects Meyer Chisanga also indicated that there are other preliminary objections before they take plea.

The DPP sked the court to issue directive whether to start with Mphwiyo objections and then continue with plea or wait for all legal counsel to file their objections and deal with them together.

Chisanga then asked the court to allow all legal counsel to raise their objections first before their clients take plea to avoid prejudice in the event that their client pleads not guilty today and later on plead guilty or vice versa.

Judge Esmie Chombo ruled that all disclosure and objections without prejudices be dealt with between now to the end of January, 2016 and that the court shall sit for plea on Wednesday 24 February, 2016 and if all objections shall be dealt with that day in time the state must be ready with its witnesses as they can be ready to start testifying on the very same day 

Earlier, Kachale told the court that the 6th accused person in the case Maxwell Namata who was not in court during the earlier court appearance is in court and is being represented by lawyer Davie Lameck .

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Sheriff
Sheriff
8 years ago

Wishing Watson Kaunde all the best in American. 2016 more money

Yambani Mulemba
Yambani Mulemba
8 years ago

Very true international mercantile ndi chuma cha mphwiyo ndi cashgate. Just like santa plaza ndi ya Mpoola cashgate imene ija

Sheriff
Sheriff
8 years ago

Kachuma, Watson Kaunde is an Icon in the business, he is a business Magnet, tycoon, Guru. You know nothing about Mercantile International.

Arthur Dux
8 years ago

milandu ya anthu achuma iyi,, ndi m’mene imathera

Kachuma
Kachuma
8 years ago

A chombo ndiye mwayenjezatu kumuyika ku mbuyo mphwiyo. Kodi mpaka 2016 athenso nkhani ya straight iyi? Tatopa nanu mayi

Kachuma
Kachuma
8 years ago

Kodi DPP bwanji watson kaunde wa international mercantile simukumumanga? Ndi chuma cha mphwiyotu chimene chija kaya

Wodabwa
Wodabwa
8 years ago

Whats all this mrs chombo? Up to february then may then october then 2018? U are not serious. We have interest in mphwiyo cases. Can SDR give this case to Dr kachale please. He is one of the best judges likes of kapindu, mtambo, kapanda, ivy kamanga, nyakaunda dorothy and mwangulu. Chombo is lazy judge

chechipapwiche
chechipapwiche
8 years ago

The IT guy should be charged with IT related issues and not what you have listed above.

Chindaxi
Chindaxi
8 years ago

Alowe Mphwiyo….. tisakaze kayundu wa mkazi wake….. moti tayamba kale kudya chifukwa mkazi waziwa kuti akukalowa Mphwiyo basi

KenyanMalawi
KenyanMalawi
8 years ago

Please give these cases to Kamudoni Nyasulu otherwise this lady will lose these cases

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