Muluzi’s corruption case to continue in 2013

The hearing of a corruption case involving former Malawi head of state Bakili Muluzi, will continue next year, as his lawyers have been told to present his medical report in six months.

This follows the granting of more time to the former head of state by the Blantyre high court on Thursday, to recover before he appears in court.

Muluzi is being accused of diverting 1.7 billion kwacha into his account when he was in office.

His lawyers are expected to present to the court his medical report on 21 February next year.

One of his lawyers, Kalekeni Kaphale told the media that Muluzi underwent an operation last month, and they are expected to present Muluzi medical report in six months.

“Muluzi went under an operation on his Spinal cord in October, 2012, which makes it obvious on his condition,” Kalekeni Kaphale.

A medical report presented in Malawi’s High Court on Thursday indicate that former President Dr. Bakili Muluzi needs six months to fully recover from his illness before his corruption trial resumes.

Muluzi, credited for introducing democracy and human rights in the southern African nation, was admitted in a South African hospital where he underwent operation on dislocated back discs.

He silently arrived in Malawi this week and went straight to his home district to mourn his mother who died some weeks ago.

Judge Maclean Kamwambe presented the medical report after it was submitted by Mr. Kalekeni Kaphale, lawyer for Dr. Muluzi.

According to the report, Dr. Muluzi was previously operated on October 3 this year and is expected to go for a medical review on February 4, 2013 in South Africa.

“This is why Dr. Muluzi is needed a period of six months to recover from the wound he got from the operation and that he cannot ably sit down for a long period of time,” read the report.

It has also been leant from the medical report that the former president is taking strong pain killers as the result of the operation, which is causing him dizziness.

The high court judge however noted that the medical report is not explaining as to how much time is needed for Dr. Muluzi to complete the pain killers prescribed.

Judge Kamwambe also pointed out that it is not clear whether the dizziness occurs the whole day after taking in the pain killers or not.

Meanwhile the case has been adjourned to February 25, 2013 to review the health condition of the former president and probably set a date for the continuation of the 1.7 billion kwacha corruption case he is answering.

Dr. Muluzi is accused of depositing in his personal bank accounts money that were meant for the state from donors.