Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Malawi have urged the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to appeal against the ruling made by a Zomba court on former cabinet minister George Chaponda.
The CSOs, Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation, Youth and Society (YAS) and Center for Development of People (Cedep), have faulted the ruling made by magistrate Paul Chiotcha who acquitted Chaponda on charges of giving false information to Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), influencing a public officer to misuse his position and possession of foreign currency.
In a letter to ACB, the CSOs have urged the Bureau to appeal the ruling on Chaponda who is a former Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development.
YAS Executive Director Charles Kajoloweka told the local press that ACB must appeal the ruling that declared Chaponda and Transglobe boss Rashid Tayub innocent.
“This is the chance for the ACB to demonstrate its independence,” said Kajoloweka.
Meanwhile, ACB is yet to give its stance on whether they are to appeal against the ruling.
ACB spokesperson Egrita Ndala said authorities are scrutinizing the ruling before taking action.
Chaponda and Tayub were charged with various corruption related charges following the dubious maize purchase from Zambia in 2016.
Arrest that bastard and let him rotte in jail
The csos should keep silent. They are the ones that mislead organizations like ACB. They interfere too much as if they own the whole world of wisdom. Let ACB work independently without influence from any quarters like csos so that if ACB has strong grounds of appeal , they can go ahead; if not they remain quiet, period.Why? If they appeal with weak grounds they will still lose. You CSOs are too emotional. Court issues are too technical, so please slow down and wait for ACB to technically analyse the ruling to come up with their strong points weighed against weak grounds. I believe ACB and the Director of Prosecutions are not as daft and emotional as the immature camp of the CSOs. Moreover, they have a full 30 days to digest it. Liwilo ndanji Ana inu? Mukuwopa chiyani? Mukuwona ngati Ku apeal’ ko legal team ya Chaponda sikakhalako? Mbwerela ayi.
What has happened here is clearly portrayal of a continued malpractice of corruption. you have decided to play such monkey tricks with the court so that your image should not be tarnished just with such an intention of being resumed to power and be looked innocent in the presence of ignorant and poor Malawians. Be carefull
What we have to understand is that ACB just claims to be an independent body but it is not. It is driven by these DPP strongholds. The way this case has been, if was done by a member of opposition, we woud have been talking about erving a sentence in prion already by today.
On the contrary, judgment on the case has been delaying and now that they have seen that we are going towards 2019, here they aquit the thieves who stole tax payers money.
Besides, the ACB is showing that it is consisting of corrupt authorities too. Why are they emotional to the decision made by CSOs on the rulling?