Hearings on Lester Maganga’s case continued today (02/04/24) in the High court in Lilongwe. Maganga is accused of playing a role in the death of former Coca-Cola employee Alan Wittika.
Maganga, who has been detained for more than 150 days, requested bail, and the court was due to rule on his request.
Greeting all the attorneys from the prosecution and defence, High Court Judge Mzondi Mvula got the court session off to a lighter note.
The judge began the day’s proceedings by requesting that the DPP present its witnesses.
The three witnesses they were intended to present in court, only a driver from Bambino Private School in Area 15, Paulo Mvula was present.
Witness Mvula provided an account of his observations in Area 15 on September 20, 2023, in connection with this matter.
The witness stated that he was transporting children to Bambino Private School that day, from Area 25 to Area 15. Around seven forty in the morning, he observed a white pick-up truck on the left side of the intersection as he turned into the town from the direction of Bwandilo.
In addition, he informed the court that he observed a person in red clothing in the automobile, but he was talking on the telephone.
Afterward, he kept driving to Bambino in order to deliver the kids.
It is alleged that Maganga committed murder and unlawfully obtained ammunition.
In prior court proceedings, Powell Nkhutabasa, Maganga’s attorney, contended that granting bail to Maganga would serve the greater good.
Another witness’s testimony is anticipated to be presented to the court in the next court hearing.
Hearing on the matter has been postponed until April 9.
VP Chilima’s battle for MDF secret records.
president Saulos Chilima arrived at the High Court of Malawi Financial Crimes Division in Lilongwe today morning hours.
Judge Redson Kapindu was scheduled to make a decision regarding the submission of additional disclosures in a case where Chilima is charged with accepting an undisclosed amount of money from businessman Zunneth Sattar, based in the United Kingdom, in order to purportedly sway public contracts in his favour.
Due to concerns about national security and relevancy, the Malawi Défense Force declined the request for additional disclosures in the case. Nevertheless, the defence maintains that their client will not receive a fair trial if the disclosures are not made into evidence in court.
The requested documents include the minutes of the October 16, 2020, Défense Council meeting that approved the purchase of armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and a March 20, 2021, memo from the MDF to President Lazarus Chakwera asking for permission to purchase APCs from Malachite FZE, a Sattar-affiliated company, through single sourcing.
The Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and the Lilongwe court agreed that certain documents are indeed too sensitive to be made public, and that it is premature for the defense in Vice President Saulos Chilima’s corruption case to request certain State disclosures at this point in the proceedings.
But, Judge Redson Kapindu has emphasized that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) will have to determine whether to divulge such sensitive information or to drop the case if it turns out that the trial would require these papers in order for the accused to get a fair trial.
The defendant and his legal team, the Attorney General (AG), and the lead counsel for ACB will be permitted access to “only see basis” of the sensitive papers in the interim, per the court’s directive. This is done to acknowledge the information’s extreme sensitivity.
A memorandum dated March 2021 from the MDF to President Lazarus Chakwera requests authorization to purchase armoured personnel carriers (APCs) from Malachite FZE, a company associated with Sattar, through single sourcing.
The minutes of the Defense Council meeting held on October 16, 2020, authorizing the procurement of APCs, are among the disclosures that are sought.
the case is expected to continues in the following days.
