APM Lawyer Accuses MCP Witness of Using a Ghost Name

Lawyer representing the first respondent in the on-going landmark presidential election case Frank Mbeta accused Malawi Congress Party (MCP) third witness Peter Lackson of using ghost names.

On the Thursday, Mbeta tussled with Lackson on some personal information f the witness which the lawyer argued he was hiding.

Mbeta started his cross examination by requesting the witness to tell the court his full names and where he currently works.

In response, Lackson said apart from doing research consultancies, he lectures at some of the accredited higher institutions in the country.

The response did not go down well with Mbeta who requested the witness to mention the names of the universities. But the witness said for security reasons, he was not comfortable to tell the court that information which he described as ‘private’.

Mbeta then said he is not happy that the witness was also using what he termed a ghost name in the court ‘Peter Lackson’ omitting his last name ‘Chimangeni’.

But the witness said the names being used in the court are his first and middle names and that they are also the same names that appear on his personal identity cards.

Judge Mike Tembo said it was not proper for Mbeta to say the witness was using a ghost name when the names are his and that the witness had already told the court before testifying that, for security reasons, he would be using his first and middle names.