Mphwiyo fit to return, first witness in shooting case

A well-placed source in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) has indicated that there will be no more need for shot budget director in the Ministry of Finance Paul Mphwiyo to remain in South Africa after next week.

According to his medical schedule, Mphwiyo goes for his next review on Monday November 18, after undergoing jaw repairs earlier this month.

“After that, the next review is in January; so, keeping him there would be costly to the government,” said the source.

According to the source, Mphwiyo is now able to chew soft foodstuffs after his jaw repairs.

But OPC spokesperson Arthur Chipenda could not be reached for comment on the issue on Friday.

In the meantime, both Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Bruno Kalemba and Deputy Inspector General Nelson Bophani, who is heading investigations into the Mphwiyo attempted murder, have said the gunshot survivor is a prime witness.

Kalemba could not say when exactly he would start calling witnesses in the matter, but confirmed “we want to commence proceedings before the end of the year.

“We should be concluding now on investigations and it is a matter we want to commence proceedings before the end of the year.”

Said Bophani: “We have covered reasonable ground and Mphwiyo is the first witness in the shooting case.”

Mphwiyo, head of a Treasury section responsible for disbursing funds to various government fiscal votes, has been in South Africa since September after unknown assailants attacked him by his Area 43 home gate.

The budget section has since been linked to the infamous Capitol Hill cash-gate and police last month sent officers to interrogate Mphwiyo in South Africa.

“Largely, officers went there to interview him as a witness to see if he can remember what happened and if he can recognise his attackers,” said Bophani.

Since then, police have been busy hunting for his suspected attackers, so far leading to the arrest of six suspects, including former Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara on attempted murder charges.

But Kasambara told the media on his first court appearance in Lilongwe this week that the charges are a sham.

Other suspects arrested on the attempted murder charges are Kasambara’s former bodyguard Keston Gani, a Pika Manondo and his young brother Dauka; a former military officer McDonald Kumwembe and a Robert Kadzuwa.

Kumwembe, Kadzuwa and younger Manondo are currently remanded at Maula Prison in Lilongwe while Kasambara is battling for bail, with medical doctors saying his health is deteriorating.

On Wednesday, the State recommended that he moves to Zomba Maximum Prison from Kachere Juvenile Centre in Lilongwe so that he can meet prisons medic Dr. Henry Ndindi.

“I can confirm that he [Kasambara] is at Zomba Prison. As for the rest, I think prison officials would be better placed to speak,” said Kalemba on Friday.

Prisons spokesperson Evance Phiri said so far the review is that Kasambara is stable.

“According to the prison doctor, [Kasambara] is now OK and remember his coming to Zomba was to ensure close medical supervision,” said Phiri.

Kasambara travelled to the Zomba Maximum Security Prison on Wednesday in the company of Dr. Ndindi who had gone to Lilongwe to review the suspect’s condition to ascertain the rightful mode of travel to the Eastern Region city.

But Dr. Ndindi clarified that he had not met Kasambara to review his health as earlier reported in the press.

“I met him for the first time yesterday starting from 9 o’clock in the morning. I think his condition is not life-threatening at the moment,” he said.

Earlier, the media reported that Ndindi was among doctors who recommended that Kasambara required some specialist attention either at Mwaiwathu Private Hospital or in South Africa.