Court summons MDF army generals over Chilima’s case

The High Court in Lilongwe has summoned army generals of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) to explain why they are refusing to release documents connected to Vice President Saulos Chilima’s high profile corruption case.

This follows a complaints from the graft busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which is prosecuting the case, that the generals are refusing to release the documents, delaying the case in the process.

High Court Judge Redson Kapindu has ordered the MDF to appear before the court on Thursday next week on October 19.

Chilima is accused of demanding and receiving an unspecified amount of money to influence award of contracts in favour of corruption kingpin, Zuneth Sattar’s firms.

According to a notice of adjournment from the court dated October 12, the MDF was supposed to appear before Justice Kapindu on October 17.

Reads the notice: “Take notice that proceedings for the Malawi Defense Force to show cause why an order of disclosure should not be made in favour of the accused person, previously scheduled for 17th October, 2023 has been adjourned to the 19th day of October, 2023 at 10:00 O’clock in the fore noon”.

The ACB told the court that it has not been able to get some documents from MDF even after seeking for those to be submitted to the court as disclosures, prompting justice Kapindu to order MDF to appear in his chamber to explain their side of the story.