BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)- The former president Joyce Banda on Friday expressed gratitude following her husband retired Chief Justice Richard Banda recognition in Malawi’s Judiciary
The Judiciary honoured the former first gentleman Richard Banda together with other retired Chief Justices Leonard Unyolo, the late Friday Makuta and the late Justice Lewis Chatsika, by naming some of its court sessions after them in recognition of their distinguished service to the in different capacities of the legal sector.
They were honoured in Blantyre during a Sherry party – a celebration marking the opening of the Judiciary’s legal year.
The former president graced the event which was president by Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda when she accompanied her husband.
In her statement, she said it was “one of the happiest days of our lives” to get the honour for Richard Banda.
“I thank God for the honor bestowed upon him and I will forever praise the Lord for the privilege to have Richard Banda as my husband, anchor, best friend and my cheerleader on our extraordinary journey of 35 years,” said the first woman president in Malawi.
The former president recalls that Richard Banda was called to the bar in 1966 as a barrister at the Greys Inn in the UK.
He was Malawi’s first Malawian Attorney General, Minister of Justice, before that he served as Director of Public Prosecution. In 1980 he was appointed Judge and in 1992 he was appointed Malawi’s Chief Justice, she pointed out.
After serving in this capacity for ten years, he retired in 2002. He was also appointed as a bencher of Grey’s Inn.
Between 2003/ 2009 he served as Supreme Court Judge and Chief Justice of the Kingdom of Swaziland.
He retired in November 2009 on medical grounds, she added about the fact file of the former chief judge.
