The Speaker of the National Assembly Sameer Suleiman has turned to private lawyer Bright Theu to defend him in a court battle over his attempt to establish parliamentary committees to investigate alleged corruption in government institutions.
The development adds a new twist to the dispute, with Suleiman, a senior figure in the governing establishment, now personally represented by a private lawyer in a case challenging the powers behind his proposed investigations.
Austin Mkoka filed the judicial review application on September 4, challenging Suleiman and Parliament over the planned committees.
The committees were intended to investigate institutions including NOCMA, ESCOM, EGENCO, PML, Blantyre Water Board and the Immigration Department.
But Mkoka argues that Parliament cannot lawfully establish the committees in the manner proposed, putting Suleiman’s push for investigations at the centre of a constitutional fight.
The High Court has already put the proposed investigations on hold pending determination of the case.
The dispute has also attracted the Malawi Law Society, which has moved to join the proceedings because of the constitutional questions surrounding separation of powers.
