Chanthunya convicted

The High Court sitting in Zomba yesterday convicted Misozi Chanthunya on three counts of murder, perjury and hindering the burial of a dead person, Linda Gasa.

Chanthunya is a prime suspect in the murder of 25-year-old Zimbabwean who was believed to be the convict’s girlfriend. Her body was found buried in Chanthunya’s lodge in Mangochi in 2010.

Presiding judge Ruth Chinangwa said Chanthunya’s conviction follows circumstantial evidences in the days Gasa went missing citing call logs as well as availability of the deceased’s body in the convict’s lodge, among others.

Judge Chinangwa further revoked the convict’s bail which he obtained previously as the trial of the case was underway saying the revoke is on security reasons.

She adjourned the court to Wednesday, September 2 2020 for sentencing and ordered the State as well as the defense lawyers to make their submissions on the sentence before delivery of the verdict.

State lawyer Steve Kayuni said the State is ready to make its submissions on the judgment.

“The submissions will be on the nature of punishments and years the convict should be in jail in reference to the nurture of the crimes Chanthunya is convicted with,” he said.

Reacting to the sentence, Chanthunya’s lawyer Michael Goba Chipeta said the defense will appeal the ruling arguing the conviction’s ruling has a lot of errors.

He said the High Court has made the ruling based on circumstantial evidence as there was no direct evidence to prove all the cases.

“My client also has a right to obtain a bail which we will apply for after the sentencing,” he said.

Gasa is believed to have been murdered on August 4  2010 at a private cottage in Mangochi while Chanthunya left the country on August 19 2010.

Police issued a warrant for his arrest on September 21 2010. He was arrested in 2012 after the Malawi Government wrote the South African Government to arrest him.