The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has indicated its intention to review a court case involving former Minister of Homeland Security Cecilia Chazama and others, indicating it may resume within 12 months.
The bureau, in a written response to The Nation questionnaire after the Blantyre Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday discharged Chazama, former chief immigration officer Masauko Medi and two other officials from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services in an abuse of office case, acknowledged that it could not proceed with the case after failing to secure a “memorandum” from the Ministry of Homeland Security following the defence’s request in 2024.
Chazamba. | Nation
ACB spokesperson Jacqueline Ngongonda said all attempts by the bureau did not yield the desired results.
“A discharge is not a final order. The bureau will review the matter in conjunction with the Ministry of Homeland Security and will recommence the matter within 12 months,” she said.
One of the defendants’ lawyers, Bright Theu, acknowledged that the bureau can recommence the case and that if that happens, his side will decide how to respond.
“They [ACB] are entitled to recommence the case within 12 months, after that they cannot,” he said.
In the discharge order, chief resident magistrate Paul Chiotcha highlighted a number of issues, including an application by the accused arguing that the State failed to prosecute the case since it was adjourned in 2024.
He also noted that the State asked for a further adjournment and failed to produce witnesses for the continuation of the trial, which was scheduled for May 6, 2026.
The magistrate said the court was satisfied with the accused persons’ application for discharge because the State was “unable and/or unwilling” to proceed with the case.
Chazama and Medi were charged alongside Prudensiana Makalamba and Chandiwira Chidothe with irregular recruitment of 127 immigration assistants in 2017.
The ACB arrested the suspects in 2022 before the court granted them bail. They pleaded not guilty to the abuse of office charges.
