By Cathy Maulidi:
UTM party members Tuesday took to the streets in Lilongwe to celebrate the discontinuation of a corruption case against their leader and Vice-President Saulos Chilima.
The office the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) discontinued the case and notified the court about the decision.
High Court judge Redson Kapindu on Monday announced the discharge of the vice president, indicating that as required by law, the DPP would provide the reasons for the decision to the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament.
“The accused person herein, Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima, is immediately discharged in respect of the charges against him as specified in the aforementioned certificate of discontinuance,” Kapindu said in the notice issued on Monday.
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“Pursuant to Section 99(3) of the Constitution, reasons for the exercise by the [DPP] of his powers of discontinuance herein shall be provided to the Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly within ten (10) days from the date of the aforementioned certificate of discontinuance,” he added.
In celebration of the discharge, the UTM supporters chanted in praise of their leader, insisting that he was never in the wrong in the first place.
The party’s Secretary General Patricia Kaliati, who led the celebration in Lilongwe, refused to take more questions from us, saying the day was not for interviews.
“We are celebrating that Dr Saulos Chilima has won the case. This is not an issue of pardon; it is winning the case. He was not in prison; he was just going to court and he won because there was no evidence.
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“We told you already that Chilima is going to win. He has never failed and we thank God for that. Just celebrate with us, no interview; let us just dance and celebrate,” Kaliati said.
During the celebrations, some UTM members were seen donning T-shirts with labels that indicated their leader would be on the ballot next year.
However, Chilima himself has not come out to state if he will compete in the election or not.
Earlier on Monday, Anti-Corruption Bureau spokesperson Egrita Ndala said the bureau had taken note of the announcement by the court.
“The court has done what it was supposed to do upon filing of the discontinuance certificate by the DPP,” Ndala said.
She, however, insisted that the ACB was ready to prosecute the case and was, on May 10, ready to proceed with the plea and directions.
Chilima was being accused of engaging in corrupt practices with businessperson Zuneth Sattar before the charges were dropped.
