As the shooting case of former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo is set to date back in court on August 31 to September 2, former President Dr. Joyce Banda has expressed shock over calls that she should appear in court as witness.
On Friday one of the accused in the case, Pika Manondo told Lilongwe High Court Judge Michael Mtambo that he wants Banda and former Presidential Chief guard to appear in Court as his witnesses.
Speaking in an interview with one of the local daily papers in the country [Nation Newspaper] Banda wondered how she could be a witness in a case she directed to be investigated after the shooting incident when she was serving as president.
“If you recall, I said at the time that whoever did that as far as I was concerned was an enemy of Malawi and because of the timing that we were fighting corruption, I knew that whoever did it was against my government’s fight against corruption.
“How can I be witness when I am the one who directed that the shooting should be investigated? When is this political persecution going to stop? How many deaths am I going to be accused of? This is wrong!” Banda was quoted as saying.
This is not the first time Banda has been named to be a possible witness by suspects in the case.
First it was former minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ralph Kasambara who is also answering the conspiracy to murder in the case.
Meanwhile it is not clear as to whether Banda will bow down to the calls and stand in the court dock as a witness on August 31.
