Former director of Information Gideon Munthali yesterday told the court that his former boss Henry Mussa requested for 10 computers and a generator which were delivered at the ex-minister’s residence in Area 11 in Lilongwe.
Munthali was giving his defence at the Lilongwe Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court in a case in which the two were found with a case to answer on charges of theft and conspiracy to commit a felony.
The duo was arrested in September 2020 on suspicion that they misappropriated the items all valued at K11 million which Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) donated to the Ministry of Information in 2019.
Munthali’s defence
In his testimony, Munthali narrated the circumstances surrounding the custody and whereabouts of the items by going through different correspondence the accused had with officials at the Ministry of Information.
He told the court in examination-in-chief by his lawyer Chrispine Mndala that he was in custody of the items at the directive of his superiors at the ministry after taking delivery of them from Malawi Communications Regulartory Auhtority (Macra).
Out of the three generators, Munthali said one was delivered to Blantyre and the other to Mzuzu offices.
He said: “The former minister kept inquiring about the items and he could call or send a text and every time he did that, I would inform the [Ministry of Information Principal Secretary] PS Esmie Kainja. I later handed over the computers and one generator to the former minister at his house in Area 11 on June 19 [2020] upon his request.”
Earlier, lawyers for Mussa asked the court for an early adjournment, saying they were expected to attend a conference organised by Malawi Law Society(MLS) in Mangochi. Chief resident magistrate Patrick Chirwa adjourned the matter to September 7-8 2021 when Munthali is expected to be cross- examined and re-examined.
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