By Joseph Dumbula
A corruption case involving Malawi’s Vice President Vice President Saulos Chilima has been adjourned to 19 July, 2023.
Chilima was arrested on November 25th of last year by the Anti-Corruption Bureau on allegations of accepting a reward of 280,000 United States dollars from Zuneth Sattar to assist Sattar’s company, Xaviar Limited, in securing a Food Ration Packs Contract worth $7.8 million from the Malawi government for the Malawi Police.
He is answering six charges; three are to do with corrupt practices by a public officer, two are for using influence to receive advantage and another for of failing to report to police or ACB over an advantage received corruptly.
In the latest court session, Justice Redson Kapindu of the Economic and Financial Crimes Division of the High Court said the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) needs to furnish the defence with disclosures within seven days. However, the bureau said it will need 21 days since the information which is in digital form need to be isolated.
However, Kapindu questioned what ACB had been doing since Chilima was arrested in November last year.
“In view of arguments from both parties and also that the accused was arrested in November last year about eight months down the line the prosecution could have had time to put together the charge sheet and make disclosures available,” he said.
According to Khumbo Soko, one of Chilima’s lawyers, they questioned about the readiness of the Anti-Corruption Bureau when they arrested Chilima.
“For us is a worrying sign that they proceeded to arrest such a high-profile citizen when they were not ready,” said Soko.
However, Chrispine Nkhunga, the Director of Legal and Prosecution for the Anti-Corruption Bureau, stated that there are no legal requirements for the state to provide disclosures before a plea and direction hearing.
“We came here not for disclosures, we came here for plea and direction hearing and those were our arguments that the law is clear that its 21 days before trial that we can make disclosures,” said Nkhunga.
