Malawi Court Jails Senior Counsel In High Profile
Case
By MarcFarlane MBEWE in the commercial city, Blantyre Aug 30, 2016
Manondo and Kumwembe will serve 26 years imprisonment with hard labour
The former justice minister of Malawi, Ralphael Kasambara, has been sentenced to 13 years imprisonment for conspiracy to murder.
Kasambara, an ex-Attorney General, was convicted on July 21 for conspiracy to murder the country's ex-budget director, Paul Mphwiyo.
In addition, the High Court in Lilongwe has sentenced, Pika Manondo and McDonald Kumwembe, Kasambara's co-accused, to 15 years imprisonment for the first count of attempted murder and 11 years for the second count of conspiracy to murder.
Judge Micheal Mtambo said the sentences will run successively thus Manondo and Kumwembe will serve 26 years imprisonment with hard labour.
The case resumed on August 30 in the capital following an adjournment on August 22.
Dauka Manondo and Robert Kadzuwa, the other two suspects, were dropped from the case last April 29 after they were found with no case to answer.
The conviction of Kasambara, Manondo and Kumwembe was broadcast live on television and radio, making it the first in Malawi's history.
On the night of September 13, 2013, Mphwiyo was shot by armed men who were lying in wait to ambush him, just outside the gate of his house in Lilongwe Area 43.
When he arrived at the house, the armed men fired several shots at the 37-year-old as he drove in.
A couple of days after his shooting, stories began to emerge that millions of dollars had been embezzled by officials of the Government of Malawi colluding to defraud the state.
Joyce Banda, former president of Malawi alleged that Mphwiyo was shot because he was on the verge of busting a corruption syndicate.
In April 2012, Banda appointed Kasambara Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
On 10 October, the president sacked her cabinet, dropping Kasambara in the process.
On 8 November, Kasambara was arrested for allegedly masterminding the shooting of Mphwiyo.
He would be rearrested on money laundering charges in January 2014. Kasambara continues to deny any wrong doing.
The former University of Malawi (UNIMA) law lecturer, served as Attorney General under the administration of late Bingu wa Mutharika.
After which he became the legal representative of Banda who was Mutharika's deputy at that time.