MPHWIYO’s SHOOTING CASE: MANONDO SAYS CALL LOGS NOT RELIABLE

Second accused in the Paul Mphwiyo shooting case currently underway at the Lilongwe High Court Pika Manondo on Thursday described the call logs provided by Telecom Networks Malawi (TNM) and Airtel as unreliable saying using them as evidence in his case would be misleading.

Manondo said this in court as he spoke in his defense, before judge Michael Mtambo after call logs showed that on 13 September, the day when Paul Mphwiyo was shot at the gate of his area 43 residence, Manondo was also in that area after 11 p.m.

According to an Airtel Tower Manondo was around area 43 for five minutes before another tower captured him in City Centre two minutes later.

But Manondo said he had serious doubts as to the reliability of the evidence of towers saying they have serious flaws.

“My Lord, the Airtel tower shows that after 11 p.m. I was calling someone in area 49 from area 43, at no time did I go to area 43 on the night of the day, the closest place to area 43 I went to is area 10,” he said.

He further argued that the space of travel from one place to another did not make sense to him saying there was no way one can travel from area 43 to 47 within a space of two minutes.

“If you travel from area 43 to City Centre, you cannot be there in five minutes and again from City Centre to area 47, there is a gap of two minutes, this means that I travelled all the way from City Centre in just two minutes,” he said.

But Director of Public Prosecution Mary Kachale objected to Manondo’s conclusive remarks of referring to time space saying it wasn’t necessary.

“My Lord we object to the use of those words because we were all here when Airtel experts explained how the towers work,” she said.

But Manondo shot back: “My Lord, Mr Mphwiyo told this court that he was speaking to his wife when he approached the gate of his house shortly before he was shot. The call logs show the number of Mphwiyo while the other number is for his wife, Thandizo, but the towers captured her number and that of Mphwiyo from different locations, this gives me serious doubts as to the reliability of the logs,” he said.

Judge Michael Mtambo adjourned the case to Friday Morning where Pika will continue with his defense before DPP Mary Kachale will cross examine him.