Pika, Mphwiyo and Dauka were friends

Malawi’s ailing budget Director, Paul Mphwiyo’s initial statement that he never knew Dauka Manondo and his brother Pika have backfired as Dauka claims that the three have been friends for many years.

This was disclosed as the Mphwiyo shooting case continued in court on Tuesday.

Dauka Manondo told the court that he knew the former budget director in 1999 while he was working in Zomba when Mphwiyo was doing his studies at the Chancellor College.

He further said that before Mphwiyo was shot, his brother Pika and the former budget director flew to South Africa for an arms deal.

However, Dauka did not go into details on the said arms deal.

Dauka also denied that the Mk300, 000 which was deposited in MacDonald Kumwembe’s account was part payment to shoot Mphwiyo.

He said  said he made the deposit under the name of Emmanuel Mwale who was one of his employees at Legit Auctioneers.

He also said, it was his brother, Pika, who told him to deposit the money in Kumwembe’s account, but did not know what kind of business was transacted between the two.

According to Dauka, the money was withdrawn from Legit Auctioneers, a company co-owned by the Manondo brothers.

Dauka further disclosed that Mphwiyo, Pika, MacDonald Kumwembe and himself were friends and they used to play pool sport together with late Captain Rodwell Ndovie who was working in the Malawi Defence Forces (MDF) in Zomba, back in the years.

In the case, Manondo together with former Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara, Pika Manondo, Robert Kadzuwa and Macdonald Kumwembe  are being accused of conspiracy to murder Mphwiyo on September 13, 2013.

Initially, Kumwembe said he wanted Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) Deputy Director Reyneck Matemba to be his witness.

Kumwembe told the high court in Lilongwe on Monday that he wants Deputy ACB boss, Matemba, former secretary to the Treasury (ST) Newby Kumwembe and former chief State advocate Zolomphi Nkowani, who is now in private practice.

Kumwembe also said Ralph Kasambara’s bodyguard, a Mr Gani and driver, a Mr Chimwaza and paralegal officer at Ministry of Justice Samuel Kumbweza should testify.

However, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mary Kachale objected to the request.

She said Matemba and Kumbweza cannot testify because they are officers of the court who have been involved in the on-going case. Presiding judge Michael Mtambo was yet to make a decision on the matter.

Mphwiyo’s shooting is said to have led to revelations into massive looting of funds at the capital hill, a scandal better known as Cashgate.