Malawi state loses anti-corruption chief sacking bid

The Malawi high court has rejected an urgent application by the Malawi government to restore the interdiction of head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Martha Chizuma.

Ms Chizuma was interdicted on grounds that she was facing criminal charges in a matter in which is accused of defaming some high-ranking government officials.

The said defamatory remarks are contained in a secretly recorded private conversation she had with a person not employed by her office where she purportedly said some top officials in government and at the courts were frustrating the fight against corruption.

The recording was made and circulated widely online last year with Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera saying at the time he had reprimanded Ms Chizuma for the remarks.

The president however said he would not sack her because he considered the secret recording and its circulation to be “corruption fighting back”.

The secretary to the president and cabinet, Colleen Zamba, nonetheless interdicted Ms Chizuma late last week.

The interdiction, which was widely condemned by civil society groups and the opposition, was set aside by court on Monday following an application by the Malawi Law Society.

On Tuesday the government filed an urgent application to suspend the order that stopped Ms Chizuma’s interdiction which the court has now rejected.

Early on Wednesday the US and the UK, two of Malawi’s main donors, expressed “deep concern” with government actions which they said undermined the credibility of the country’s stated commitment to fight corruption.

Ms Chizuma is seen as a committed anti-corruption crusader.

She has so far indicted the country’s Vice-President Saulos Chilima and several other high-profile individuals over corruption and has hinted there will be even more arrests.

The Malawi vice-president has denied any wrongdoing and his case is now awaiting commencement of trial.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: AFP