Chief Justice reports to ACB attempt to bribe judges in Malawi election case
Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda has asked Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate alleged attempts to bribe five judges presiding over presidential elections petition case, the graft-busting body has confirmed.
However, Nyasa Times understands that the bureau was alerted in November 2019 about the attempts to bribe the judges.
The Constitutional Court has until February to determine the case in which Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera and UTM Party’s Saulos Chilima are disputing the President Peter Mutharika re-election in May 2019 polls.
ACB director Reyneck Matemba confirmed that they are following leads to the matter.
“I can confirm that the Anti-Corruption Bureau received a written complaint from the Chief Justice on a matter related to the presidential elections case that is pending judgement in the Constitutional Court,” said Matemba.
He said the ACB cannot discloses any further details of the complaint but said the bureau is pursuing it “as well as other written complaints that we also received from different sources and interested stakeholders.”
It is yet to be established the real identity of the people involved in the bribe and the judges who were approached.
Malawians have taken up in various social media platforms expressing worry over the matter and wondering if the ACB act on the reports.
In an interview with Nyasa Times, social and governance commentator Makhumbo Munthali said he expects the five judges to administer justice -whichever way it goes.
“But my only worry in view of the revelation of attempts to bribe judges is that it has the potential to undermine the public acceptance or respect of the Court verdict-regardless of how impartial it is.
“ In other words, immediately the identity of the person (or party) who did this is revealed the court of public opinion will come up with its verdict, and such a verdict of public opinion may be difficult to reverse in as far as acceptance or respect of the Court decision is concerned particularly when the fice judges (Con Court verdict) is contrary to that of the public,” said Munthali.
He continued: “ In short, looking at it from a public interest and promotion of rule of law perspective, whosoever attempted to do this has done more harm to this country.”
Munthali said to avoid speculation, it would however be important that the ACB reveals the identity of those who are alleged to have attempted to bribe the judges
Last week, the opposition stopped the European Union Election Observer Mission from presenting its final report. The opposition claimed the report would compromise the case.
In a statement, Chief Election Observer for the EU to Malawi Miroslav Poche said they were disappointed that they were not able to present their final report on the elections.
He said the report is a technical document and it does not interfere with the current political situation in Malawi in light of the presidential election case.
The mission said it wiould present the report in February by which time judgement is expected to be out.
In a preliminary report released just after the election, the EU mission described the election as “transparent, well-managed and competitive.”
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There are more questions than answers in the manner the matter has been handled.It is , however, not surprising as DPP is associated with this type of mafia.
Ma judge asaoneke angelo pa nkhani za chisankho, they should reflect overall conduct of the judiciary, osatinamizapo apa!
Tinene kuti achina Chilima nkhaniyi samayidziwa all along. Why were they quite. The moment the story comes out to the public within few minutes the names of suspects came out. I sense something fishy going on and if not careful we shall be fed with terribly propagandist schemes of either side. Shame
Komano guys fans ya DPP ili ndi njila zambili zopangira Bribe i know kuti pali ma Judge awili ndma Cadet also nde tufunika kuchenjera ndi amenewo also ndalama ndi Satana wankulu palibe amayifuna atha kumapanga zonsezi ndicholinga chophimba zoti the five panels of the judges ngati kuti asazakhale mu mavuto akazatulusa zosatila guys fans ya DPP ndya usilu ndiyokuba kwambili tuyenera tikhale nawo tchelu kwambili and the most good thing is mlandu unali pa air and wina aliyese anaziwa pomwe unayendera because even the DPP witnesses anavomereza kuti kunali kubera and a MEC anavomerezaso and cndikuziwa kuti a Court akudikira… Read more »
if corrupt ACB shall fail to act on this one HRDC and MHRC Will do it for us. Bravo! Nyirenda, Bravo! Dingiswayo Madise, Bravo! Ivy Kamanga Bravo Justice Mike Tembo, Big BRAVO! Justice Healy Potani. any injustice on this case will kill Malawians, first to die will be the one announcing the injustice judgement mind you.
Papita masiku ambiri ACB chineneleni nkhaniyi, mmene imajijilikira oposition yathuyi ndi ma press conference ama propaganda, ikadakhala kuti sikukhudzidwa pano bwenzi tikumva kuti “Tikuipasa ACB masiku …… kuti auzema amalawi ndindani wapanga zimenezi”. Tikanamvanso kuti HRDC ipanga mademo awo abata aja oumiliza ACB kuti amange onse okhudzidwawo. Maganizo anga ndikuti ikadakhala kuti ndi boma panopa tikadamva kuti “APM should resign”. Mwina dossor ya ACB komanso kalata ya chidandaulo yochokera kwa Chief Justice pano itafika kale pa social media. Ndikuti phuma ilindi oposition yathuyi, chete ameneyu andidabwitsa kwambiri. Uyunso Munthu otchedwa Munthaliyu ndinzake wina uja waku Livingstonia komanso mai wa ku… Read more »
Thats thiking aloud from the anus my brother. Stay blessed.
Malawi. So stupid.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, this is a bombeshell ! very embarrassing!
If, indeed, Mpinganjira is the one leading an attempt to bribe the judges the logical conclusion is that he is doing this on behalf of DPP/APM as it is inconceivable he would do so on behalf of MCP or UTM. With these revelations, my view is that the ConCourt should speed up it’s determination to save millions of taxpayers money.
An attempt to bribe the judges is a confirmation there were irregularities during the May 21 elections and someone is feeling the heat
Sinaonepo comment ya cadet apa. Amutseka kukamwa.