Court discharges former RBM governor’s charge

The Financial Crimes Division of the High Court has discharged former Reserve Bank of Malawi-RBM Governor Dalitso Kabambe and his former deputy, Henry Mathanga, from an abuse of office charge.

This is one of the charges levelled against the two in a case where they are being accused of misreporting the country’s Net International Reserves and Gross Reserve Liabilities to the International Monetary Fund-IMF between 2018 and 2019.

In his verdict, Justice Redson Kapindu has discharged the two on grounds that the State failed to commence the trial on the charge of abuse of office on the accused persons within 12 months in line with the law.

“It is ordered that in respect of the charge of abuse of office under section 95 of the Penal Code as against both accused 42 persons, it is hereby declared that both accused persons herein, namely Dr. Dalitso Kabambe and Mr. Henry Mathanga, stand discharged therefrom in accordance with section 302A(4) of the CP & EC.

“The application to dismiss the charge of fraud other than false pretences under section 319A of the Penal Code in respect of both accused persons is, on the other hand, hereby dismissed,” reads the ruling in part.

Kabambe and Mathanga will however continue to answer the charge of fraud using false pretence as per Section 319A of the Penal Code Act in the same matter.