I have had the opportunity to listen to the recorded judgement delivery as broadcast live on Zodiak Broadcasting Station and I am coming to the conclusion that Mpinganjira was singled out to be put to shame to meet interests of I do not know who. I say so considering the following:
1. When Reyneck Matemba who was at that time ACB Director announced that they had received a letter from Chief Justice regarding to an incident of attempted bribery for the judges, he mentioned that that was not the only tip that the ACB received. Matemba told the nation through a press briefing that the Bureau had received more complaints related to two business people and politicians who tried to influence the case.
Almost two years on, there is no news on those others and everyone is quiet about it. Interesting Mpinganjira’s case has galloped through the process. My question is why? For whose convenience was all this about?
2. Further to that, aspersions have been cast on how the Madam Judge argued in some parts of her judgement. For example, during submission and cross examinations, Mpinganjira said he had shelled out money to political leaders namely Joyce Banda, Lazarus Chakwera and Saulos Chilima and to DPP. In her determination Madama Judge still hanged Mpinganjira on the basis of the money he gave to the DPP. In her argument, she said that Mpinganjira disclosed that he gave money to Chakwera, Chilima and Joyce Banda just to confuse the court and embarrass them.
She then said in his actions, she was only interested in having the case go in favour of the DPP because it owed him a lot of money. How did the judge come up with these equations and conclusions as if those people which Mpinganjira had given money been brought before court to testify? Or did they?
On careful analysis of the judgement, there is every palpable evidence that it was hurried as evidenced by too many gaps.
In addition, the judgement is littered with conjectures and forced conclusions by the Honourable Judge. I dare say the judgement leaves a lot to be desired such that it lends itself to an opinion that it is a tool meant to accomplish the mission of some conspiracy against Mpinganjira.
I conclude by saying the court did say the judgement is yet to be perfected but we all know there is not much left to do on it. Fixing tenses and correcting spelling errors and improving sentence construction won’t remove it from the shelf of the conspiracy theory.
My only prayer is that one day the truth shall come out and set us all free.
I rest my case.
