Mutharika lawyers insert 3 new grounds in amended appeal to Malawi Supreme Court

President Peter Mutharika on Friday filed an amended appeal notice to Malawi Supreme Court against a landmark Constitution Court (ConCourt) decision that overturned his 2019 election victory, lodging 17 ground of appeal, one short of the previous notice, documents showed.

Mbeta: Files amended notice of appeal to Malawi Supreme Court

Malawi made history on February 3 2020 when the five-judge panel of the High Court of Malawi sitting as the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of an opposition bid to cancel last May’s presidential election results over for widespread irregularities.

The President’s lawyers, Frank Mbeta confirmed that in his amended appeal papers, Mutharika maintains the judges had “erred in law” in concluding that his re-election was “undue” and he asked the Supreme Court to reverse the judgment which also ordered new elections.

The judges had declared Mutharika was “not duly elected” over what it called widespread irregularities, especially “massive” use of correction fluid on results sheets.

But Mutharika has replaced four grounds from the previous notice of appeal filed on February 7 2020, replacing them with three new grounds.

“The learned judges erred in law and in fact by failing to take into account in their findings the responses given by witnesses for the petitioners/respondents during cross-examination by the 1st appellant [Mutharika] on all the issues pleaded and identified in the petitions, and thereby showed gross bias in favour of the petitioners/respondents and against the first appellant,” reads ground 15 of appeal.

The appeal cites case authorities of Loveness Gondwe versus Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and Catherine Gotani Nyahara, of 2005, Bently Namasasu versus Ulemu Msungama and MEC of 2016 among others cases of example.

Reads ground 16: “The learned judges, having misdirected themselves on the issues set out in the ground 1-16 above, erred in law and in fact in holding that the 2nd Appellant breached Sections 40(3); 76(2) (d) and 77(5) of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi, thereby making an unjustifiable order annulling results of the presidential election of May, 2019.”

Two of the presidential candidates in the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections—UTM Party’s Saulos Chilima (the first petitioner) and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate Lazarus Chakwera (the second petitioner)—asked the court to nullify presidential election results over alleged irregularities, especially in the results management system.

In his public reaction, Mutharika—a lawyer with expertise in international economic law, international law and comparative constitutional law—said alongside his legal team he has “serious reservations with the judgement” nullifying the elections.

Said the President: “We consider the judgement as a serious subversion of justice, an attack on our democratic systems and an attempt to undermine the will of the people.

“As it stands, the judgement, if not cured, represents a flawed precedence for all future elections in the country. In fact, this judgement inaugurates the death of Malawi’s democracy. As such, it cannot stand unchallenged.”

The five-judge panel comprising Healey Potani, Redson Kapindu, Ivy Kamanga, Mike Tembo and Dingiswayo Madise nullified the presidential election in the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections and directed that a fresh election be held within 150 days from February 3 2020.

The court said Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) failed in all constitutional tests it set out on the elections and that the irregularities were so glaring that the credibility of the election was in question.

Mutharika was declared the winner of the May 21 election with 38.5 percent of the vote, with Chakwera losing by just 159,000 votes.

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khumhro
khumhro
4 years ago

The problem with Mbeta is buying judges. All this Appeal is bent on buying Judges. Judges know that you are ruining your credibility as Judges because of your acceptance to be bought like goats. Police and Mbera are one person which is very difficult to make him arrested. MUSIYENI AMUDYERE PETERYO and after all its our taxpayers money that peter uses.

ANA ACHEPA
ANA ACHEPA
4 years ago

KODI OSAWAMANGA ANTHU AMENEWA MUKUWACHEDWETSA PATI???? BASI AZINGIKHALIRA KUKUZEMBANI?

bingu
4 years ago

Frank Mbeta is the lawyer who alwez defend criminals and those criminals they bribe him with a lot of money .He is a young lawyer (very rich ) fooling big people like APM ,Abdul Batatawala of Lido electricals and many more.Where is the case of 17 billion tax invasion by Lido Electricals ? all the computers having that information were stolen @ MRA with the help of this lawyer and Abdul Batatawawala is free ,building mansions in Malawi,shop complex!

Nicolous
Nicolous
4 years ago

Bakha ndi bakhadi. APM is loosing elections this time. Wakuba wathawa yekha

Flamingo
Flamingo
4 years ago
Reply to  Nicolous

Dream on

Goliati
Goliati
4 years ago

Apm ndi mbuzi yopanda mano pamwamba ndithu

Chechamba
Chechamba
4 years ago

Kutha ma plan a ndale pa town.

Fake Petros
4 years ago
Reply to  Chechamba

DPP should get over their decisions and move on. Parliament has in fact amended dates for 2025 (and nor 2024) elections. Thugs should stop being in denial

master
master
4 years ago

Lawyers of Mbeta calibre cant face the Veteran Modecai Msisha honestly, its enough proof that DPP is a party of comedians

Joni
Joni
4 years ago

You are just wasting your time and mone, kuba malawyer, tangomuuzani mbuyayo kuti izi zitayeni zizithandiza…..mugenda katawuluka kkkkkkkkk

Nanga poti ndinu amene, mabwana anu akutukwananso ma Judge omwewo ndiye zingayende zimenezi koma….ndakayika ndithu!!!!

Joseph chagomelana
4 years ago

Ndalama za simbi ndizimene zinaweluza mulandu not justice

Khumutcha
Khumutcha
4 years ago

Anthu mumakhulupiliradi bodzali?

Game changer
4 years ago
Reply to  Khumutcha

I have lost faith in the personality of APM. I used to respect him but with all 5 appeals he got defeated and he is still going with the 6th one. I fear the 6th one will leave him naked

truth pains
truth pains
4 years ago

eni ake omwe ananena statement iyi mpaka lero akulephera kukapereka umboni wao ku ACB. Munaona bwanji Justice Nyirenda atamva za Mpinganjira corruption iye anangopita ku ACB kukapereka umboni sanalimbane ndi mma radio kapena TV. Ndiye inu mutsalirabe kumakhulupilira izi pomwe onenayo akulephera kuperekera umboni?

Gongoni Wakuda
Gongoni Wakuda
4 years ago

Inu ndalama zanu zinakanidwa kkkkkkk ndikukuululani poyela. munya muona simunati

APM Wanya
APM Wanya
4 years ago

Awa nkhope yao inayamba kutinyasa. Kulibe ma lawyer ena ku DPP tiziaona?

Yona Gondwe
Yona Gondwe
4 years ago
Reply to  APM Wanya

Do you have a personal vendetta with the APM lawyer?
Mukunyasidwa ndi loya bwanji instead of commenting on political situation in our beloved Malawi?
Musanyasidwe ndi LOYA wa Mutharika, he went to school for his ULOYA WAKEWO. If you have nothing to write you better shut up .

ERUTU
ERUTU
4 years ago
Reply to  Yona Gondwe

Nawenso khala CHETE

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