Kasambara condemned to prison

The Malawi High Court in Lilongwe has revoked bail for attempted-murder suspect, Mr. Ralph Kasambara.

Kasambara joins MacDonald Kumwembe, his co-accused in the Paul Mphwiyo shooting. Kumwembe was condemned to prison for 4 months for contempt having blasted Judge Michael Mtambo as ‘modern day Robin-hood’.

Kumwembe, a former Malawi Defence Force (MDF) officer  and businessman Pika Manondo are accused together with Ralph Kasambara of conspiring to murder the then National Budget Director, Mr. Paul Mphwiyo.

Justice Michael Mtambo revoked the bail after establishing that Kasambara, who had failed in his bid to force the judge to recuse himself from presiding over the case, was using the backdoor to have his wish come to pass by using Kumwembe to force Mtambo out of the case.

Director of Public Prosecution also stated that judges and state witnesses were being threatened and followed by the accused hence the need to have all their bail revoked on security grounds. It was alleged that Paul Mphwiyo saw the former Justice Minister at his home late in the trial.

The judge said it was without doubt that Ralph Kasambara was involved in some activities that ought to be investigated.

While presiding over the case, Judge Mtambo observed that respective applications by Kumwembe and Kasambara to have the judge recuse himself were attempts to derail the case.

Mtambo ruled Kasambara should be remanded immediately. But Kasambara applied for stay order to have his confinement start on Friday, claiming there are “some personal issues” he needs to sort out, an application Judge Mtambo described as “strange”.

Hearing on the stay order continues this afternoon.