Malawi court hopes to deliver judgment end June: Mphwiyo shooting case

LILONGWE-(Maravi Post). The Lilongwe High Court Judge Michael Mtambo has disclosed that judgement in the case in which former Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara and McDonald Kumwembe  who are being co accused of conspiring to murder former Malawi budget director  Paul Mphwiyo, will be delivered end June.

The learned Judge Dr. Michael Mtambo said this during a court session in the capital Lilongwe after the last counter rebuttal witness MacDonald Kumwembe  took to task Director of Public Persecution (DPP) Mary Kachale over inconsistency in some testimony.

“I told you already that once the case has finished, I will need written submissions and the oral submission will follow. Please send the written submission by e-mail. We will meet on 6th June for oral submission and by end June or early July, I will deliver my judgment on this case,” said  Mtambo.

On Wednesday, Kumwembe was testifying after the defense had asked the court to allow him to counter what the two state witnesses Luciano Chiumbozo and Peter Chiumbudzo said on Monday and Tuesday that they were not in Malawi at the time of shooting. The testimony puzzled Kumwembe who branded the two as staged state witness, an allegation DPP Kachale dismissed.

Kumwembe quizzed Kachale to explain as to why the two brothers (Chiumbudzo) had given separate dates regarding the date their mother died as Luciano told the court that his mother died on August 5, 2013 while Peter said it was on August 2.

“You see my Lord, why should we trust a testimony of these two when they can’t agree on the exact date when their mother died. We have all this inconsistency as to when Luciano Chiumbudzo was in Malawi because there is no passport and that the only travel document he has is also questionable,”challenged Kumwembe.

At end of the session, Judge Mtambo ruled that the accused Kumwembe be given back his licence and mobile phone saying that failure to do so will see Malawi Police Service and Attorney General (AG) in contempt of court.