Kasambara Accuses State, DPP Office over Re-arrests of Some Accused Persons in Mphwiyo Shooting Case

Dauka Manondo& Robert Kadzuwa in handcuffs

Raphael Kasambara, one of the accused person in the case of Attempted murder of Malawi's former Budget Director, has accused government of making deliberate re-arrest of some of the accused persons.

Dauka Manondo one of the accused persons in the case of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder of Mr. Paul Mphwiyo was re-arrested few weeks ago on suspicion of wanting to kill witnesses and prosecutors and the state had also previously applied for the re-arrest of five accused persons currently on bail following state witness claims that they are being threatened by defendants.

But on Tuesday, a self represented lawyer Raphael in the case, Raphael Kasambara was prompted to express his anger when Judge presiding the case Justice Michael Mtambo had asked of whereabout of Dauka Manondo as he was not present in the dock.

Kasambara reacted by saying government is making deliberate re-arrests to some of the accused persons so that the public should have a negative view of the accused persons in this case.

He further called on state and office of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to stop such a gimmick game.

However, in reacting to Raphael Kasambara comment, DPP Mary Kachale said, police is making arrests of some of the accused following  independent police investigations and not from the influence of state or DPP office.

In related development as the court convined in the afternoon Kasambara had also accused state of not respecting the rights of two accused persons currently in police custody, Dauka Monondo and Robert Kadzuwa for not removing their handcuff up to the cour dock.

The two had their handcuffs removed when Kasambara had raised the matter before Justice Michael Mtambo. However the state denied of making any instruction to police of not removing the handcuffs of the two accused persons.

In the ongoing case, Raphael Kasambara, Pika and his brother Dauka Manondo, McDonald Kumwembe, Oswald Lutepo and Robert Kadzuwa are answering charges of Attempted murder and Conspiracy to commit murder of Former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo who survived from three gunshots in September 13, 2013.

Since Tuesday morning the Lilongwe High Court continued hearing the cross examination of one of the state investigator  Superintendent Kankhwala Chilinda

Lawyer Wapona Kita was so inquisitive on issues sorounding authenticity of call logs that the  state brought in the court and his capacity to thoroughly investigate the issue surrounding Mphwiyo's shooting.