Justice Chifundo Kachale has said Malawi has the capacity to reduce court congestion, ease pressure on prisons and avoid lengthy criminal trials through the effective use of plea bargaining.BMTV tells Mtalimanja there’s one President at a time
Kachale made the remarks during a Plea Bargaining Session held at Zomba Central Prison, an initiative jointly organized by the Judiciary, Pepperdine University and other stakeholders in the justice sector.
He said the process plays a crucial role in promoting efficiency within the criminal justice system by helping to resolve cases more quickly while ensuring fairness to all parties involved.
According to Kachale, the prosecutor either initiates or responds to negotiations, while the defendant retains the final authority to accept or reject any proposed plea agreement.
“The judge reviews the agreement to ensure that there is a factual basis for the guilty plea,” he said.
Kachale noted that wider adoption of plea bargaining could significantly reduce case backlogs in courts, lower prison populations caused by prolonged remand detention and minimize the need for lengthy jury trials.MEC Reaffirms Commitment to Credible and Peaceful Malawi Elections
Meanwhile, Pepperdine University representative Professor Seth Bamburg emphasized the importance of the initiative, describing plea bargaining as an effective tool for managing overwhelming caseloads within the justice system.
The plea bargaining session forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen access to justice and improve the efficiency of criminal case management in Malawi.
