Proceedings in a case where film actor Phwedo, real name Tumpe Mtaya, is accused of having sexual intercourse with a minor stalled on Thursday over student tendering of a student identity card for the victim in court.
The court has since adjourned the matter to July 10 2025.
During previous hearing, the Lilongwe Principal Resident Magistrate’s Court granted a request from defence lawyers for the State to provide the victim’s Malawi School Certificate of Education examinations identity card.
However, when the court reconvened on Thursday, State prosecutor Dalireni Kalanguluka requested the court to adjourn the case due to the late arrival of a Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb) document served to the defence.
But defence lawyer Khwima Mchizi told the court that the document served was not the one they had requested.
“We specifically asked for a student ID for the purpose of obtaining evidence that dates before the alleged incident, not after. The student ID is an important piece of evidence in the case since it allegedly involves a minor and that the age of the victim is of key importance,” he said.
Mchizi said the State produced a scanned letter that responds to a request for the victim’s date of birth instead of the actual ID.
He accused the State of failing to comply with the court’s earlier direction that would only proceed once the ID has been provided.
In response, Lilongwe principal resident magistrate Benjamin Chulu gave the State seven days to produce the student ID or written explanation for failure to do so.
When submission is done, the defence will also have seven days to respond before trial begins on 10 July.
