High Court quashes government’s application to vacate stay on Chizuma interdiction

Government to engage the US on concerns

Anti-Corruption Bureau Director Martha Chizuma is once again at liberty to return to office after High Court Judge Mike Tembo dismissed an urgent application by the State to restore her interdiction.

On Tuesday, Malawi’s top attorney engaged private practice lawyers Kalekeni Kaphale, George Kadzipatike and Chancy Gondwe as part of the State’s defence team in the matter.

This came a day after the Malawi Law Society (MLS) got a court order stopping all processes commenced by the Secretary to the President and Cabinet in regard to Chizuma.

There are however reports that the government has ordered the private practice lawyers to appeal the judgement made in the High Court in Blantyre.

Meanwhile

Capital Hill is expected to engage the US government to address concerns raised on the status of the nation’s fight against corruption.

Yesterday, the US declared that it had lost trust in Malawi’s fight against corruption following the Attorney General’s decision to challenge an order staying the interdiction of ACB director Martha Chizuma.

Washington’s move followed the government’s decision on Tuesday in which private practice lawyers Kalekeni Kaphale, George Kadzipatike and Chancy Gondwe were roped in as part of its defence team in the matter.

On Monday, the Malawi Law Society – MLS got a court order stopping all processes commenced by the Secretary to the President and Cabinet in regard to Chizuma.

In his statement, information minister Moses Kunkuyu revealed that would engage the US Embassy and Ambassador through diplomatic channels to address the concerns that have been raised.

“This will be done in the spirit of mutual respect, without compromising the duty of Government to protect the sovereignty of Malawi and the independence of domestic public institutions and their officials from foreign interference, as well as in the quest for continued cooperation in the development of Malawi and its people,” Kunkuyu states in the statement.

In the same vein the British High Commissioner to Malawi Sophia Willitts-King joined the US is condemning government’s Chizuma’s suspension.

Willitts-King said the UK is deeply concerned by recent events affecting the fight against corruption.

She further lamented that Corruption takes public resources away from the people of this country, destroys business, damages public service, traps the poorest in poverty, and undermines future economic growth.