The Director General,
The Anti-Corruption Bureau,
Box 2437,
Lilongwe,
Malawi.
25th March, 2020.
Dear Sir,
MALAWIANS DESERVE TO KNOW THE SECOND SUSPECT IN THE ATTEMPTED JUDGE BRIBERY CASE
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) writes you this letter in order to bring to your attention that on January 14, 2020 in your capacity as the Director General (DG) for the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), convened a press briefing at the ACB offices in Lilongwe where among other things you read out a letter that confirmed what started like social media gossip that some people made attempts to bribe the five judges that were hearing a case concerning the disputed May 21, 2019 Presidential Elections.
During the said media briefing you read out a letter your office received from the Chief Justice (CJ) but you smartly concealed the names of the suspects. However, in the course of the proceedings you gave out hints suggesting that the two suspects comprised one from the private sector and another from one of the three arms of government.
A few days later, the ACB acted by effecting the arrest of Dr. Thom Mpingajira who is currently out on bail. Going by the earlier description CDEDI and indeed all Malawians of good will believe that Mpinganjira is the one from the private sector who was not mentioned by name during the press briefing.
As we write this letter, CDEDI and indeed all Malawians of goodwill have waited long enough to know the second suspect mentioned in the Chief Justice’s letter. CDEDI would like to ask you as to how long we should wait for the arrest of this yet to be identified person from one of the three arms of government.
CDEDI’s fear has been triggered by the remarks you recently made in your personal capacity that the MK1.7 billion case involving the former President Dr. Bakili Muluzi which has dragged on for fourteen (14) years now, requires political solutions to be successfully prosecuted. Now with this silence on the judge bribery case are we not starting yet another decade of waiting?
Malawians are anxiously waiting for the arrest of the second suspect, let alone, the commencement of the case involving the first suspect.
CDEDI therefore, would like to remind you sir, and your office that this is one of the high profile cases that attracted huge public attention which we believe periodic updates would help to keep Malawians well informed thereby allying fears that the matter does not require political solutions as the above stated example.
BACKGROUND
CDEDI is a non partisan, nongovernmental organization that was established with a goal to have a well-informed and organized citizenry that can ably demand their social and economic rights at the same time hold duty bearers accountable for their actions.
Among many others CDEDI aims at sensitizing the masses on matters of national importance, inculcate the spirit of a peaceful coexistence among people of different ethnic, political and religious affiliations; provide civic education on people’s rights and responsibilities in economic independence and contribution towards national development and lobbying for the electoral law reforms.
SIGNED
SYLVESTER NAMIWA
ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
