By Vincent Gunde
A Malawi Congress Party (MCP) diehard of Mvera in Dowa district Mr. Rodgers Kamphangala, has accused the Human Rights Resource Centre (HRCC) of forcing government to comply with the recent court order issued by High Court Judge Kenyatta Nyirenda that released MCP Secretary General Richard Chimwendo Banda from Maula prison where he was remanded.
Addressing members of press in Lilongwe, HRCC Chairperson Robert Mkwezalamba, expressed his deep concern over social media reports that government through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is intending to challenge Chimwendo Banda’s court release.
In the court order, Chimwendo Banda is being protected from further arrests by police, this is the same order which was granted to 17 MCP panga wielding thugs who were terrorizing and hacking innocent people in Lilongwe and surrounding places.
The judicial review bail application for Chimwendo Banda has been a subject of discussion in the social media platforms that two high court judges are hearing one case and one with powers invested in himself has made a ruling that Chimwendo Banda be released from prison unconditionally.
A Law Professor based in Cape Town- South Africa Danwood Mzikenge Chirwa said he has never heard anywhere in the world that judicial review can lead to granting bail to a suspect answering criminal charges in court.
Professor Mzikenge Chirwa questioned the Judicial Service Commission why it is taking long to fire Judge Kenyatta Nyirenda describing his judgement as bringing embarrassment to the whole Judiciary in Malawi.
Kamphangala has noted with a great concern that human rights institutions have been praying for Chimwendo Banda’s release from Maula prison while they are all aware that Chimwendo Banda was charged for the offence of attempted murder that happened in 2021 on Frank Chiwanda.
He has asked human rights leaders in Malawi to imagine if one of their loved ones was placed in a sack tying of legs and hands ready to be thrown to the Bua River for crocodile meat, will they be the first ones to press the release of the suspect?
The MCP diehard has urged government to challenge the court order that released Chimwendo Banda by re arresting him to go back to Maula prison until due processes of the law is followed observing that Chimwendo Banda has multiple charges.
“I would have loved if all suspects remanded in various prisons across the country have their cases be reviewed to also walk to freedom and not only one person- Chimwendo Banda because he has money to buy for himself justice and freedom,” said Kamphangala.
He has finally urged government never and ever to be intimidated by human rights organizations leaders who for 5 years of President Chakwera and his MCP led government enjoyed the lion shares of contracts and tenders in government making themselves billionaires over a night while the citizens were eating wild bushes (chitedze) as food for their survivals.
