Mphwiyo case: Kumwembe wants Jumbe as witness

The first accused in the Paul Mphwiyo shooting case, MacDonald Kumwembe, on Friday asked the court to subpoena former Finance minister Friday Jumbe, former People’s Party spokesperson, Patrick Gada and Robert Asumi as his witnesses.

Kumwembe made the request during hearing of the case yesterday in the High Court in Lilongwe where the State and the fellow accused in the case were cross-examining him.

Kumwembe told the court that he was withdrawing two people he had formerly mentioned to be his witnesses—police officers MacLean and Thengo—because of the nature of their job.

But during cross-examination by Kasambara who is the third accused in the shooting case, Kumwembe told the court that the State has no evidence linking him to the shooting.

He said Kasambara is not mentioned in any of the three affidavits that he was among the people that shot former budget director Mphwiyo.

Kumwembe is the first accused in the Phwiyo shooting case to enter defence.

During cross-examination on Thursday Director of Public Prosecutions Mary Kachale, among other things, quizzed Kumwembe on what he had told the court and what he meant that he was not a person who could not miss a target if he was to shoot.

In his reply, Kumwembe maintained that as a trained soldier, he was trained to shoot at a range of about 300 meters, hence he could not miss the target.

Hearing has been adjourned to January 4 and 5. n