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MP writes speaker on Njauju probe

Nkhotakota South East legislator Everson Makowa Mwale (Malawi Congress Party-MCP) has queried inactivity on a motion to invite the United Kingdom’s Scotland Yard to probe the mysterious murder of former Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director of corporate affairs Issa Njauju.

The member of Parliament (MP), who has written Speaker of the National Assembly Richard Msowoya over the silence, said in an interview yesterday that he was not happy that there was no movement on “such an important matter”.

Mwale: Nothing is happening

Said Mwale: “I have written the Office of the Speaker so that relevant parliamentary committees can take up the matter. The motion was passed [in February this year] and I expected that it would be respected and acted upon swiftly. But nothing is happening.”

He said his decision to write the Speaker is based on his feeling that nothing will ever happen on the motion if relevant stakeholders are not pushed.

But Msowoya, in an interview yesterday, said it sometimes becomes difficult to compel the Executive to act on motions because they are not legally binding.

He said it is only Bills which bind government to implement the contents.

Said Msowoya: “Motions are simply strong advice that the Executive should act on something, but they are not legally binding. It is up to the Executive to act on the advice if they feel so, otherwise, it is difficult to force them.”

On why the police were not inviting foreign investigators to help in probing the murder of Njauju as suggested by several stakeholders, National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said the police have confidence that they will handle the matter to its end.

Msowoya: Motion are not legally binding

However, the police position is in sharp contradiction to what Minister of Justice and Constitutionl Affairs Samuel Tembenu said in February this year after the passing of the motion that government was working on bringing in Scotland Yard for the murder investigation. He said in that regard, the debate in Parliament would not change anything.

Kadadzera’s statement was also in contrast to what his predecessor Nicholas Gondwa said that Njauju’s murderers appeared to have been very sophisticated.

He also said several people, including police officers, have been questioned in relation to what is seen as one of the country’s most high-profile murders.

Njauju’s body was found half-buried on the banks of a river behind presidential villas by sand miners two days after he was reported missing in Lilongwe whereas his official vehicle, a Toyota Hilux double-cabin pick-up, was found destroyed in Mtandire Township.

Njauju’s car (above) was burnt to ashes during the incident

To date, two suspects—a police officer and a local sand miner—were arrested and charged in relation with the murder of Njauju. But critics have argued that the arrests were just some smokescreen undertakings to hoodwink the public to believe something was happening on the matter.

In a follow-up interview on what he intends to do following government’s failure to act on his motion, Msowoya’s observation that motions are not legally binding and police insistence that they will deal with the matter without any foreign assistance, Mwale said he will look at options that may be there.

The murder of Njauju as well as that of former University of Malawi student Robert Chasowa attracted the interest of local and international organisations, including the donor community and the United Nations who have called for speedy conclusion of the two probes.

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