State wants to drag Khamisa to court

Malawi government wants to drag former Minister of National Defence, Bob Khamisa to court in a case involving United Democratic Front (UDF) deputy director of research Phillip Bwanali on fertilizer coupons.

Nyasa Times understands that the state wants Khamisa to be charged concurrently with Bwanali in the "Coupongate" case.

Bwanali was arrested and charged with first count which says that he was found with coupons at Chichiri Shopping Mall valued at K1, 171,800, which is property of Malawi Government.

The second count of theft, which is contrary to Section 278 of the Penal Code, alleges that Bwanali was found with subsidized fertilizer coupons in unknown places in Blantyre valued at K68, 200.

Bwanali told Blantyre Police when he was first arrested on December 16 last year the coupons were given to him by Khamisa who was asked by Police and confirmed that he indeed gave him the coupons.

Government insiders say the matter infuriated President Bingu wa Mutharika who recently dropped Khamisa from cabinet.

"The sacking from cabinet was a lee-way to the state prosecution team to zero-in on Khamisa," said source familiar with the matter.

"Now that he is not putting on a ministerial jacket, the state would bring him into the case," disclosed the source.

A Police source said Khamisa would soon be "picked."

Senior State Advocate Janet Kayuni who is representing the state in the Coupongate case could not be drawn to comment on Khamisa being dragged to court.

Nonetheless, a source also said the arrest is meant to sew fear in Khamisa, a Thyolo political powerhouse who is being lured by his former party, UDF to rejoin it.

The Thyolo Central parliamentarian declined to comment on the matter. But his close associates said he could not be "intimidated" with an arrest.

"Khamisa can not be intimidated with an arrest or any political harassment. Ambuye has a thick skin," said a close aide to the former minister.

Bwanali pleaded not guilty to the charges before Blantyre Magistrate Innocent Nebi and two witnesses have since testified against him.