The Lilongwe magistrate court has adjourned to Monday afternoon hearing of a case in which Norman Chisale, ex-personal bodyguard to former president Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika is accused of using a fake certificate to get employed in the Malawi Defense Force (MDF).
On Monday morning, the state was expected to parade the first of its two witnesses.
However, defense counsel led by Chancy Gondwe asked the senior resident magistrate Shyreen Chirwa to adjourn the matter, arguing that Chisale’s counsel had applied for a review at the high court of whether the case should continue or not.
Counsel for the accused said that their client was unfairly being prosecuted for an alleged offence committed some 24 years ago.
The defense counsel also complained that the state has served them with new documents, or disclosures of the matter only Monday morning and they did not have time to study them and also consult their client.
State lawyers led by Dr Steve Kayuni insisted the case should commence as both sides were not aware as to when the said judicial review at the high court will take place, hence the need for the court to proceed and dispose of the matter.
Kayuni said up to now, no judge has been assigned to handle the matter, saying the case should proceed at the magistrate court.
After hearing the arguments from both sides, Chirwa adjourned the case to 2pm for a ruling.
