United Democratic Front (UDF) supporters and sympathizers of former President Bakili Muluzi have commended President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and his administration for discontinuing a bribery case against former president Bakili Muluzi.
Muluzi was facing a K1.7 billion corruption case, which he has been answering since 2009 when the government of former president Bingu wa Mutharika arrested him.
But on Monday morning, the High Court of Malawi sitting in Blantyre set free Muluzi, citing a notice of discontinuance of the case, which Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Masauko Chamkakala issued on May 26, 2023, to discontinue the matter.
The notice was further confirmed by the Ministry of Information and Digitalization, Moses Kunkuyu, who issued a statement, stating that since his appointment as DPP, Chamkakala has been reviewing the Muluzi case to ascertain its prosecution ability in the interest of justice and in pursuit of government’s uncompromising commitment to the rule of law.
“The outcome of this review is now that the Director of Public Prosecutions has determined that the case be discontinued forthwith and all charges against the former President be dropped. This means that Dr. Bakili Muluzi, aged 80, from Machinga, who was arrested in 2009 and made to stand trial for 14 years under three previous administrations, during which billions of taxpayer funds were spend on a case that was inconclusive, is now a free man. This I can confirm,” said Kunkuyu in his statement.
Former UDF spokesperson Ken Ndanga thanked President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and his government for taking a pragmatic decision to discontinue the case that was now becoming a resource drainer for the country.
“Of course, I am yet to speak to Dr Muluzi, but obviously this is exciting news,” said Ndanga in a brief interview.
More UDF supporters have taken to the social media to salute President Chakwera for granting his predecessor freedom after 14 years of court appearances.
