Mphwiyo shooting suspects named, paraded in court By Wanga Gwede, Nyasa Times September 19, 2013 Malawi Police on Thursday paraded two people detained in connection to the shooting of Ministry of Finance budget director Paul Mphwiyo who was poised to unveil a network of corruption. Earlier police said they had arrested three people but on Thursday the law enforces brought only two men to Lilongwe Magistrate Court. The suspects were identified as Macdonald Kumwembe and Ronald Kadzuwa. Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Bruno Kalemba asked the court to allow the State continue detain the suspects in order to investigate the matter thoroughly. Kalemba said the suspects have not been charged but likely to be pressed with “attempted murder” charge. He said the charge is likely to change in case of eventualities. The top prosecutor also informed the court that Mphwiyo, who was shot thrice by an unidentified gunman in Lilongwe’s low density suburb of Area 43 on Friday night, is battling for his life in a South African hospital . He said Mphwiyo’s condition remain critical but stable. Magistrate Patrick Chirwa allowed the State to keep holding the suspects . Mphwiyo’s shooting took place outside his house. The government said the shooting was not what had appeared to be a robbery gone wrong, but an attempt on Mphwiyo’s life. The shooting was “a planned and targeted attack aimed at silencing him and the government in the fight against high levels of corruption and fraud,” the presidency said in a statement. President Joyce Banda, who appointed Mphwiyo, 37, in July as the budget chief, told state radio that he was on the verge of busting a corruption ring.
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 10:57:21 +0000