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The High Court in Mzuzu has withdrawn Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale from the list of respondents in the case related to suspicious purchase of maize from Zambia.
Justice John Chirwa made the ruling today when maize-gate case which saw Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Dr. George Chaponda being suspended returned to court following the expiry of the previous ruling on the matter.
In his ruling, Chirwa also quashed the claims by the State, saying courts have no powers to interfere decisions made by the executive.
Turning to the issues regarding the CSOs involved in the case, Chirwa ruled that CSOs have “sufficient interest” to litigate on the maizegate scandal and including all matters of public interest.
The CSOs—Youth and Society (YAS), Church and Society Programme of the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia and Centre for Development of People (Cedep) applied for a judicial review earlier this month following President Peter Mutharika’s decision not to suspend Chaponda when he appointed a commission of inquiry into allegations of corruption and malpractices in the maize import deal between State produce trader Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) and a Zambian company.
Meanwhile, CSOs through lawyer Wesley Mwafulirwa have also filed for contempt of court against Chaponda for sneaking out of the country to Germany despitefor official duties despite an order from the court.
