Malawi ex-president Muluzi needs ‘6 months to recover to face trial’: Judge queries medical report

Lawyers representing former president Dr Bakili Muluzi is answering a  K1.7 billion corruption case say he needs six months to recover from the wounds he got after an intensive operation he under went recently in South Africa so that he can stand trial.

Muluzi has been in and out of British and South African clinics since retiring from office in 2004. He has undergone several surgeries to fix his slipped discs.

He  had had to undergo a gruelling 5-hour operation in a Cape Town Clinic  on  October 2 this year.

The lawyers presented the medical report before Judge Mclean Kamwambe at the High Court in Blantyre on Thursday.

In the report, Muluzi’s doctor, Martin Jacobsohn of Stellenbosch Medi-Clinic in South Africa, advises that during the six months, the former Malawi leader should avoid strenuous engagements as he is currently taking strong  pain killers which causes dizziness.

However, Justice Kamwambe said the medical report did not specify as to how long the former Malawi leader feel dizziness or weather it is soon after taking the drugs or the whole day.

Kamwambe also said there was no indication as to how long Muluzi was able to seat since the report only indicated that he cannot seat for a long time.

“Unfortunately, the doctor is not clear to explain certain issues that would arise. It [the report] does not explain for how long the painkiller is supposed to be taken.

“We don’t even know what constitutes prolonged period of sitting. One would ask if this dizziness is for the whole day or a short period of time after taking the painkiller,” wondered Kamwambe.

The case has since been adjourned to 25 February, 2013.

Director of Public Prosecution Bruno Kalemba told the media that on 25th February lawyers from both sides will agree on the date of the commencement of trial.

Muluzi, currently in Malawi, failed to attend the burial of his mother because at the time he was receiving medical treatment in South Africa. He is expected to undergo a knife again anytime next year.

In July, Muluzi’s trial failed to take place because Director of Public Prosecutions told the court that government wants to reconstitute the prosecution team.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)  wants Muluzi and his co-accused Lyness Violet Whisky to explain the K1.7 billion into his personal accounts from various sources believed to be donors of his former ruling UDF party when he was in power between 1994 and 2004.

Muluzi denies any wrongdoing.

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