Pythias Hiwa, whose junior certificate of education (JCE) is suspected to have been used by Norman Chisale, has told the court that in 1996 he went for Malawi Defence Force recruiting exercise in Ntcheu but was not successful as MDF wanted 16 people and he was number 17 on the line.

He then went to leave the certificate with his younger brother at his home village after being left out. However, he was surprised to get a call from his uncle that he had been picked to join MDF. He then inquired about his recruitment but discovered a different person by the name Pythias Hiwa had been employed.

He later went to his home village to check his certificate, only to be told that Norman Chisale had picked it.

Hiwa then tried to take legal action but his efforts were fruitless.

He narrates that in 2012 some soldiers got to know him (Hiwa) after he secured another job in Lilongwe. They were surprised that he had the same name as that which was being used by Chisale.

He says Chisale later visited him in Lilongwe and asked him if he was aware that his brother was in South Africa to which he answered that yes. Hiwa says he was later advised by some people not to sleep at his house of which he honored.

He was later informed by his wife that Chisale had been to his house and came with papers. He says his visit was not in good faith saying he was told that Chisale wanted to get rid of him.