Chief Executive Officer for (CEO) for First Discount House (FDH) Thom Mpinganjira as been charged with three counts in his involvement of attempting judges hearing the presidential elections case in Lilongwe.
Mpinganjira was arrested last week by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) but was later released on bail by Zomba magistrate court.
Below are the counts he has been charged with…
1st count: Offering advantage to Justice Mike Tembo and members of the Constitutional Court to induce a verdict in favour of respondents in the presidential election case. (MEC, Peter Mutharika).
According to the charge placed by ACB, Mpinganjira had between 1st October and 31st November 2019 within Blantyre offered K100 million to judges Mike Tembo, Healey Potan, Dingiswayo Madise and Redson Kapindu.
2nd count: (Alternative)
Attempting to induce public officer to carry out duties.
The ACB says in this charge that between 1st October and 30th November 2019 attempted to induce the judges to exercise or perform functions.
The ACB says Mpinganjira asked the Constitutional Court Judges to accept K100 million for the case to favour respondents.
3rd count: (Alternative)
Attempt to induce public officer to abuse public office.
The ACB says between the same period , Mpinganjira attempted to induce, Healey Potani and Mike Tembo to abuse public office by offering them K100 million in the said court case.
At the start, ACB Director Reyneck Matemba told the court that the hearing today was meant for the ACB to formally charge Mpinganjira and not for him to take plea.
The following are the proposed bail conditions which Mpinganjira’s lawyer Patrice Nkhono did not object.
– That Mpinganjira surrenders his passport or any travel documents
-That he reports at ACB offices once a fortnight but can report to any office in case of local travel since he is a businessman.
– The proposed days are Mondays from 8a.m until close of business.
-That Mpinganjira should not interfere with witnesses in the case
-That he provides two reliable sureties with MK 3 million bond (Non cash).
– That he deposits MK2 million cash to court
Chief Resident Magistrate Mdeza has reserved his ruling to 3 p.m
Mpinganjira was re-arrested last evening as the probe over the alleged attempts to bribe Constitutional Court Judges hearing the presidential election case continues.
