The Lilongwe Chief Resident Magistrate Madalitso Chimwaza has discharged former Chief Executive Officer for the Tobacco Commission (TC) Kayisi Sadala who was answering abuse office charges.

His lawyer Khwima Mchizi has confirmed of the development in an interview with the press.

According to Mchizi, the state failed to prosecute his client hence the development.

Sadala was arrested on 17 May last year over alleged illegal sale of institutional houses to former ruling party Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) senior officials.

An Ombudsman report released in 2021 indicated that Sadala sold a house at Area 10 in Lilongwe to Leader of Opposition Kondwani Nankhumwa for K125 million. Nankhumwa was a cabinet minister in the Peter Mutharika administration at the time the houses were allegedly sold.

Sadala also allegedly facilitated the sale of another house in Blantyre to Jayshree Patel at K50 million.

The houses were sold in spite of a ban on the sale of institutional houses.