Africa-Press – Malawi. The Lilongwe Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court has today given a nod to restart hearing a 2016 case involving former Malawi deputy ambassador to Ethiopia, Doreen Kapanga and former secretary for administration and finance Fletcher Chowe. The two are being accused of siphoning K293 million ($409 790) out of the public purse and depositing the money into their personal accounts.
Kapanga’s lawyer, Khumbo Soko, today made an application asking the court to have the state witnesses recalled and examined by the new presiding Magistrate Patrick Chirwa who took over the case from Violet Chipao now judge of the High Court.
One witness had already testified and a second witness was expected to conclude testifying. Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Steven Kayuni earlier objected to the request by the defence arguing that the matter has dragged for long and needs to be disposed.
The state is expected to parade six witnesses and one of the witnesses is based in Ethiopia. The court has set 4th- 5th August 2021 to restart the hearing. Fiscal Police arrested Kapanga and Chowe in 2016 and they were released on bail few days after the arrest.
An investigative audit into the plunder of resources at Malawi Embassy in Ethiopia revealed that K293 million was siphoned out of the public purse and deposited into personal accounts. Before her appointment to Ethiopia, Kapanga was a Deputy Inspector General of Police.
