COURT REVOKES BAIL CONDITIONS FOR EX-MINISTERS AND OTHERS
By Esther Manduwa
The Lilongwe Principal Resident Magistrate’s court has removed bail conditions for former Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd Muhara and three others including ex Ministers in a land case.
Muhara, alongside former Ministers Charles Mchacha and Simon Vuwa Kaunda and Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Defense Bright Kumwembe are accused of selling illegally part of land in Kanjedza forest in Blantyre.
The defense successfully argued that the Anti-Corruption Bureau is yet to get consent from Director of Public Prosecutions.
Principal Resident Magistrate Viva Nyimba has also declared invalid a certificate for summary proceedings that was signed by the recently appointed Director of Public Prosecution Steven Kayuni who is yet to be confirmed by Parliament.
The court has also said that since there is no consent from the DPP, the offences that the suspects were charged with under the Corrupt Practices Act do not carry weight.
In his ruling, Magistrate Nyimba said only charges under the Penal Code will proceed.
The court has since adjourned to Second of February.
