Vice President Saulos Chilima Monday demanded finer details of his corruption charges, technically referred to as pervasive and extensive disclosures, before he could take plea in the matter.
The case came before Judge Redson Kapindu of the Financial Crimes Division of the High Court for plea taking and directions.
But Chilima, through his lawyer Kalekeni Kaphale, raised a preliminary objection, saying the Vice President needed to be served with disclosures of the case so as to understand and appreciate the charges against him.
According to Kaphale, furnishing Chilima with disclosures before he takes plea would help facilitate a fair trial.
Kaphale said Chilima intends to raise a number of objections based on the disclosures.
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In his ruling, Kapindu ordered the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to furnish Chilima with the disclosures within seven days and that the case should come for plea taking.
But ACB lawyer Chrispin Khunga said seven days were not enough for the graft-bursting body to furnish Chilima with the disclosures, saying the information is in digital form and touching on a number of accused persons and that it might need more time to decipher information pertaining to Chilima.
Khunga then pleaded with the court to give the ACB at least 21 days to serve Chilima with the disclosures.
Kapindu said he did not appreciate why the ACB asked for an extension on the issue of disclosures, wondering as to what the bureau has been doing since it arrested Chilima on November 25 2022.
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Kapindu has given the ACB the 21 days to furnish Chilima with the disclosures, adding that plea taking in the case will take place on August 1.
In an interview with reporters outside the court, one of the defence lawyers, Khumbo Soko, said it was worrying to note that the ACB proceeded to arrest Chilima when they were not ready.
“For us, it is a worrying sign that they proceeded to arrest such a high-profile citizen when they weren’t ready. You possibly shouldn’t be doing that,” Soko said.
But Khunga told reporters outside the court that there is no legal requirements that they should provide disclosures before plea taking and directions.
“We came here for plea and directions but our colleagues raised an objection that they needed disclosures first. Now that’s not what the law provides.
“The law and the practice at the bureau and other law enforcement agencies is that disclosures are served after plea. So, after plea, it is when you serve disclosures and then commence proceedings,” Khunga said.
The defence is also asking the court to vary Chilima’s bail conditions so that he does not need to be reporting to the ACB every three months and that he should be given back his passport.
Kapindu said he will determine on the bail variation request on July 19.
Chilima is accused of receiving $280,000 from Zuneth Sattar as a reward to assist Sattar’s Xaviar Limited to be awarded the Food Ration Packs Contract Reference Number MPS/SB/16/04/2021, worth $7,875,000 by the Malawi Government, for the Malawi Police Service.
He was arrested by the ACB on November 25, 2022.
