Court quashes bail conditions for Mchacha, Vuwa and Muhara

Principal Resident Magistrate Viva Nyimba has quashed bail conditions for Charles Mchacha, Lloyd Muhara, Symon Vuwa Kaunda and Bright Kumwembe because the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is yet to get consent from Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mchacha, Kaunda, Muhara and Kumwembe are accused of illegal sale of government land belonging to Kanjedza Forest in Blantyre.

The accused are still on bail but the conditions that were attached have been removed.

The court has also declared invalid a certificate for summary proceedings that was signed by the recently appointed Director of Public Prosecution Steve Kayuni. Kayuni is yet to be confirmed by Public Appointments Committee of Parliament.

Nyimba has also said that since there is no consent from Director of Public Prosecutions, the offences that the suspects were charged with under Corrupt Practices Act fall out and ACB has to make new charges.

Nyimba says only charges under Penal Code will proceed. He has also ordered ACB to come up with a fresh charge sheet for Penal Code offences.