New judge in treason case

Lilongwe-based High Court Judge Esme Chombo has taken over the treason case against Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president Peter Mutharika and others after her colleague, Ivy Kamanga, recused herself from the case.

Kamanga cited personal relations to some of the accused persons and those mentioned in the charge sheets as part of the reasons that compelled her not to hear the case.

She also appeared before the commission of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika.

Lawyers representing Mutharika and other party heavyweights in the treason case gave Kamanga the go-ahead during a meeting at the High Court in Lilongwe on Wednesday.

Mutharika and former Cabinet ministers Goodall Gondwe, Jean Kalirani, Simon Vuwa Kaunda and Patricia Kaliati; former chief secretary to the government Bright Msaka; and former deputy ministers Kondwani Nankhumwa and Nicholas Dausi are accused of attempting to take over government after allegedly misinforming the nation about the late Bingu wa Mutharika’s condition on April 5 2012.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges last week.

“We communicated to the court that the accused don’t object to the judge recusing herself. She has since passed on the file to her sister judge [Esme] Chombo with directions that she should summon us within 14 days to discuss a way forward on the matter,” one of the lawyers representing the accused, Kalekeni Kaphale, told journalists after an appearance in Kamanga’s chambers.

Kaphale also raised objections on the absence on the charge sheet of former deputy chief secretary to the government Necton Mhura who was earlier charged with treason alongside the other suspects.