The Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma) Board has effectively stopped working following a court order by the High Court of Malawi which stayed its appointment.
The board members were evidently absent during the International Copyright Day commemorations on Thursday at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe after the order was served at the office of the Attorney General (AG).
Cosoma spokesperson Catherine Mitungwi said: “Yes! The court order is in effect. We are just following what we were advised by the court.”
The court intervention was sought two weeks ago by former board chairperson Ezaius Mkandawire and former member Deborah Ntopa following their removal from the board after they were appointed which they are contesting to be unprocedural and in conflict with the Copyright Act.
When it was issued, the office of the Comptroller Statutory Corporations, which is the appointing authority of the board, said they were yet to receive the order and would only act once they get it.
But in an interview yesterday, Comptroller of Statutory Corporations Stuart Ligomeka said they will communicate their next course of action once the AG advises them.
Our efforts to solicit a comment from the AG’s office proved futile as they did not respond to our querry by press time.
The Cosoma Board was reconstituted barely a month after it was appointed, a development which saw filmmaker Mkandawire being replaced by Bishop Chimwemwe Mhango. Musician Deborah Ntopa was also removed from the board.
When the board was reconstituted, Ntopa expressed surprise with the development and she said procedures leading to their removal were flouted.
She said: “I did not expect that I would be removed from the board. Because the way I understand it is that you are put in the board by the general assembly. It is the board chairperson who is appointed by the minister according to the Copyright Act of 2016 Section 7.”
The section in question states that the board shall consist of nine members, all citizens of Malawi with the chairperson appointed by the Minister—from among the members appointed under the “six persons nominated” category.
