Three men, Josephy Gladwell Master, Yohane Petro, and Paul Francisco, have been discharged in Ntchisi district, over the murder charge of 63-year-old Joseph Edward Banda due to insufficient evidence.
In June 2023, Joseph Edward Banda went for a drinking spree in Kadzimete village but failed to return home. His body was discovered the following day in a maize field with multiple stab wounds.
The police launched an investigation into his murder and arrested the three men, who denied the charges. Despite the lack of direct evidence linking them to the crime, they were held in custody due to witness accounts placing them at the scene. The suspects were remanded at Ntchisi Prison while awaiting trial.
With the help of the Legal Aid Bureau, the accused men were represented by Senior Legal Aid Advocates Jacqueline Nthaniko and Chanju Kondowe. A key witness testified that she saw Banda, appearing intoxicated, on the evening of June 2, 2023, and also encountered the three suspects separately heading in the same direction as Banda.
Following a thorough review of the case, the State determined that there was insufficient evidence to secure a conviction, leading to the decision to discontinue the case. This led to the discharge of the accused men, who were finally released after spending almost two years behind bars.
Source: Malawi Legal Aid Bureau
