Malawi: Chief Justice asks for investigation into election bribery

Malawi’s Chief Justice, Andrew Nyirenda, has asked the country’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate claims that attempts were made to bribe the five-judge panel presiding over presidential election case.

The panel is currently hearing a petition challenging President Peter Mutharika’s win in the election in May 2019.

The petition was filed by the candidates that narrowly lost out in their bid to become President, the MCP’s Lazarus Chakwera, and the UTM’s Saulos Chilima.

Both candidates say the vote was rigged in favour of the president.

ACB’s director, Reyneck Matemba, has confirmed the request to investigate the matter did come from Mr Nyirenda, and that an investigation was underway.

He also confirmed the ACB had been supplied with a list of names involved in the alleged bribery, but refused to divulge any of them.

Malawi’s incumbent President Peter Mutharika won in May 2019 with 1,940,709 votes, closely followed by Mr Chawera (1,781,740) and the former vice-president Mr Chilima (1,018,369).

Photo credit: AFP