Chaponda’s maize-gate case will not commence tomorrow

Former Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Dr. George Chaponda will not appear in court on Wednesday as earlier arranged following the ongoing strike by Judiciary support staff.

Choponda was arrested together with businessperson, Rashid Tayub, and Grace Mijiga Mhango of Grain Traders Association over their involvement in the purchase of maize from Zambia by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

The case was expected to commence tomorrow Wednesday at the High Court in Blantyre but due to the strike the case has been postpone to later date.

ACB Deputy Director, Reyneck Matemba confirmed of the development in an interview with the press.

“The status remains the same. We haven’t been able to file the application for the consolidation of the two cases as a result of the industrial strike by the judiciary support staff.

“As you know, the courts aren’t functioning; the criminal registry is closed. It is, therefore, clear that the case won’t commence on the 9th of August [tomorrow] as previously scheduled,” he said.

Matemba said ACB was supposed to start parading witnesses from tomorrow to Friday and then on Monday.