High Court Judge Redson Kapindu has given the State and defence 30 days to make final submissions in a case involving former commander of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Henry Odillo and three others—who are being accused of fraudulently paying about K2 billion to an arms’ supplier for service not rendered.
Odillo, his then deputy Clement Kafuwa, former MDF accountant Nelson Kauwa Banda and one Ganizani Kuchombo are alleged to have committed the offence in 2013.
Tuesday, the State, which Kamudoni Nyasulu is representing, paraded its 27th and final witness, after which Kapindu directed that the two sides make submissions by May 7 2021 for him to determine whether the accused have a case to answer.
“We presented over a thousand documents and 27 witnesses. The prosecution is very happy with what has happened. We think we have put in all the evidence that we had wanted to,” Nyasulu said.
One of the defence lawyers, Powell Nkhutabasa, said the defence would analyse the evidence and deal with it at an appropriate time.
He said the defence did not cross-examine the final witness but would deal with the evidence in the submission.
The case has been adjourned to May 18 2021.
Mathews Kasanda is a journalist who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from University of Malawi (The Polytechnic).
In 2015, Media Institute of Southern Africa awarded him the Best Print Media Education Journalist of the Year accolade.
He joined Times Group Newsroom in September 2019.