Defence objects Mera audit report in Magalasi case

The defence in the money laundering and fraud case against former Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) chief executive officer Collins Magalasi and three others, has protested the use of an audit report.

They said the report contains information which might jeopardise other cases related to Magalasi.

Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe sat yesterday to hear State witnesses in the case involving Magalasi, business person Dorothy Shonga Nkhoma, Mera public relations officer Patrick Maulidi and Mera procurement officer Bright Mbewe.

The four are charged with fraud, money laundering and entering into procurement with an employee. They are accused of forcing the Mera Internal Procurement and Disposal Committee to award a K107 million contract to Vink Enterprise owned by Shonga Nkhoma.

However, when Mera internal auditor Alexander Ganiza was introduced to testify, the defence protested the use of an audit report, saying it had information relating to other cases.

Magalasi’s lawyer Andy Kaonga said there was need for the State to only bring information relevant to the case at hand.

He said allowing the use of the report without removing information not related to the case would affect other cases.

“We are not saying they should not use the report. All we are saying is let them extract information and use it in the case,” said Kaonga.

However, the State objected saying there was nothing wrong with the report as the court will use the pages that are relevant to the case.

Chief resident magistrate Patrick Chirwa adjourned the case to today for the court to decide whether the witness can testify using the audit report.