Business mogul Thom Mpinganjira has been charged with offering K100 million to Constitutional Court judges presiding over the presidential elections case so that their ruling should favour President Peter Mutharika.
The FDH Group CEO is accused of offering the money to Justice Mike Tembo for his benefit and benefit of Justices Ivy Kamanga, Redson Kapindu, Healy Potani and Dingiswayo Madise.
Mpinganjira appeared before court today where he was also charged with an attempt to induce Justices Mike Tembo and Healy Potani to exercise their function corruptly, accept K100 million for their benefit and for the benefit of the other three judges.
He was also charged with attempting to induce the judges to abuse their office. Mpinganjira wanted the judges to decide the presidential elections case in favour of President Peter Mutharika and the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) who are respondents in the case.
Mpinganjira’s lawyer Patrice Nkhondo SC applied for bail saying the businessman has strong ties to Malawi and will always be available for trial.
Nkhono noted that Mpinganjira runs FDH Bank, chairs the board of Escom and sits in several other boards.
The lawyer added that after Mpinganjira was released from police custody last week, he presented himself before the court on Tuesday when a judge restored his warrant of arrest.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau did not object to the bail application and the court is expected to make a ruling on the matter this afternoon.
Thom Mpinganjira hails from Dzungu Village Traditional Authority Bvumbwe in Thyolo.
He was first arrested on Wednesday last week but was released at around midnight after a magistrate in Zomba fraudulently cancelled his warrant of arrest. The High Court in Blantyre on Tuesday restored the warrant of arrest.
In the elections case, Malawi Congress Party president Lazarus Chakwera and UTM leader Saulos Chilima are challenging g the outcome of the May 21 elections saying irregularities affected the results of the polls in which Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) declared President Peter Mutharika as the winner.
The five judges are expected to present their ruling in the case on Monday, 3 February, 2020.
How do we know someone hasn’t bribed the judges already. Then in a Machiavellian twist pretended that Mpinganjira tried to bribe them. It’s also possible Mpinganjira didn’t offer them enough money.
It doesn’t matter which way they rule, the only way out is for a runoff election between Chakwera and Mutharika. May also be a good idea have fresh election without Chakwera, Mutharika or Chilima. If they love Malawi they should stand aside for the good of the country.
Tell us now u think we don’t know how crooked is Peter Mntharika what next judge now do you think we ll believe if u ll say Peter won the case