Duwa, Tapiwa removed as managers of Bingu’s estate

Former first lady Callista Mutharika and the family of her late husband Bingu wa Mutharika have agreed to appoint new administrators to manage the deceased’s estate.

This is according to the consent filed at the High Court in Zomba yesterday.

This means the former president’s daughters, Duwa and Tapiwa, are no longer administrators of the controversial estate.

The agreement to appoint caretaker administrators was reached as part of an out-of-court settlement the two parties thrashed out.

The new administrators are lawyers Kalekeni Kaphale and James Tomoka, representing the two daughters and Callista, respectively, to be assisted by Modecai Mshisha, who is on the side of Bingu’s daughters.

Through the out-of-court settlement, the two parties agreed to set aside letters of administration for Mutharika’s estate separately obtained by Callista at the High Court in Blantryre and Mutharika’s daughters at the High Court in Zomba.

This means the letters of administration of the deceased estate, estimated at K61 billion, have been rendered ineffective.

The two parties will continue their discussions to resolve the matter.

Before the two sides agreed to resolve the matter out of court, Callista filed an application before the court to remove Duwa and Tapiwa as administrators of the estate.

The proposal to settle the issue out of court only applies to this matter. In another case, government, through the Estate Commissioner, is claiming a K5 billion estate duty from the estate.

Callista did not appear as a beneficiary in the will drawn in March 2008, about two years before the late Mutharika married her.