BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)— Justice Micheal Mtambo has slapped for former minister of justice Ralph Kasambara with 13 years jail term on the count of conspiracy to murder former budget director Paul Mphwiyo.
Kasambara’s fellow convicts in the case, Pika Manondo and McDonald Kumwembe, have been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for attempted murder and 11 years for conspiracy to murder Mphwiyo.
The two will serve a total of 26 years in prison since their sentences will run consecutively.
Kasambara was convicted of conspiring to murder Mphwiyo alongside former Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldier Macdonald Kumwembe and businessperson Pika Manondo who faced a separate charge of attemptingto murder the former budget director.
Mphwiyo’s shooting at the gate of his Area 43 residence in Lilongwe is believed to have exposed Cashgate, the plunder of public resources at Capital Hill.The case, which started in 2013, has been marred with hurdles ranging from application for recusals from defence, defence being thrown back into jail for contempt of court and other excuses.
Meanwhile, the defence is asking for bail in view of the fact that the three are appealing against conviction but Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) is objecting to bail.
