Namiwa tells AG Frank Mbeta to step down on corruption allegations

The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa has called on Attorney General Frank Mbeta to address corruption allegations involving a court order he obtained to stop the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) from executing a warrant of arrest.

Namiwa made the call on Wednesday during a press briefing in Blantyre.

He added that failure to do this Mbeta should step down.

He said that the order Mbeta was granted by Judge Zione Ntaba of the Zomba High Court.

Namiwa expressed concern that the allegations reflect negatively on Mbeta’s integrity and suitability to serve as head of the bar.

“The resurfacing of this matter raises serious issues of your fitness and suitability to serve as the head of the bar,” he said.

Lawyer Alexious Kamangira had highlighted the matter, prompting CDEDI’s call for Mpasa to respond. Mpasa has remained silent on the allegations, which has been seen as an indirect admission of guilt.

ATT: HON FRANK MBETA

Cc: THE ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAU

Dear Sir,

RE: REQUEST TO STEP DOWN PENDING A LOGICAL CONCLUSION OF A CORRUPTION CASE

As a mouth-piece of the voiceless citizenry, and in exercise of its governance watchdog role, the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) writes you Sir, with reference to the above stated subject matter.

At the onset, CDEDI would like to bring to your attention that lawyer and Human Rights Defender (HRD) Counsel Alexious Kamangira has brought to light a matter that was almost forgotten. He has reminded Malawians that at some point you obtained an order stopping the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) from executing a warrant of arrest obtained after it had concluded its investigations over your involvement on a matter allegedly bordering on corruption.

CDEDI’s investigations have further confirmed that the said order was granted by Judge Zione Ntaba of the Zomba High Court.

Now, the immediate challenge before you, in your capacity as the Attorney General (AG), is to address rampant corruption in the country. Gauging from the public discourse, Malawians have taken it upon themselves to fight corruption at the judiciary, which has clearly manifested itself in instances where politicians obtain court orders stopping their arrest and investigations. And more recently, the nation has been awakened by the Finance Bank of Malawi payout ordered by the Supreme Court of Appeal.

While Malawians are joining hands to fight endemic corruption at the Judiciary, they are faced with this harsh reality that the head of the bar himself is an alleged beneficiary of the very system Malawians have vowed to address, worse still they are not sure how the matter involving your alleged corruption case was concluded.

Now that you are no longer a private lawyer and by extension you are the Chief Legal Advisor to the Executive arm of government, including the President, the Speaker and Parliament and even the Judiciary, it is imperative that you should mind your own integrity and that of the AG’s office, which you are currently occupying.

Ordinarily, Malawians expected your immediate reaction, given Counsel Kamangira’s accusations that have been levelled against you but your assumed silence can be construed as an indirectly admission of those allegations.

Thus far, you may agree with CDEDI and indeed all the well-meaning Malawians that the resurfacing of this matter, is reflecting negatively on you personally, and the continued debate over the same raises serious issues of your fitness and suitability to serve as the head of the bar on one hand and on the other, dampens hopes that corruption will indeed be stamped out in the country.

It is therefore, our considered view, that Counsel Kamangira’s allegations have brought with them an opportunity for you to exonerate yourself by updating the nation on how that matter in the Zomba High Court was concluded.

In the event that the matter is not yet concluded, then CDEDI is of the view that the noble thing to do is to recuse yourself from the public office, paving the way for the state agencies to do their work.

Yours Faithfully,

Sylvester Namiwa

CDEDI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR