BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The High Court in Blantyre on Tuesday July 26, 2022 ordered the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) to unseal offices of AMPEX Courier and stop criminal prosecution against some of the institution’s employees until judicial proceedings reviewed.
This comes barely two weeks after MACRA had shut down the courier’s operations over non-payment of license fees and levies of MK29.6 million.
However, the Court ruled that MACRA should allow the courier company to proceed with all its services and immediately stop prosecution of the two company’s officials.
The court order document reads “The Defendant’s decision requiring the claimant to cease and desist from carrying out courier service business in Malawi and all resultant actions by the Defendant, including any contemplated criminal prosecution against the claimant’s employees, servants or agents are hereby stayed.
“Concurrently, the Defendant is hereby ordered to unseal the claimant’s business outlets and allow the claimant to continue operating its courier service business pending hearing and determination of the judicial review proceedings,” reads part of the court order.
The document further highlighted that the court will try to expedite the judicial review proceedings so that the case which is before Justice Kacheche is completed in time.
On his part, lawyer representing AMPEX Courier Limited, Chisomo Nyemba of DNC Chamber expressed her excitement with the court ruling and said they will be waiting for the judicial review proceedings.
“Going forward, the court will hear both AMPEX and MACRA in the judicial review matter and decide whether to grant AMPEX the orders that it seeks, including damages for loss of business resulting from the closure,” said Nyemba.
Ampex courier is one of the county’s largest courier companies owned by Minister of Trade Mark Katsonga Phiri.
The company has its offices in both county’s capital city Lilongwe and the commercial city, Blantyre.
