The High Court in Lilongwe has discharged former minister of finance Joseph Mwanamveka from a case in which the former minister, former Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM)Governor, Dalitso Kabambe and Henry Mathanga are accused of giving wrong information to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to make the IMF believe that the government of Malawi was meeting conditions of the $108 million Extended Credit Facility (ECF) which led to the IMF cancelling the facility.

According to a copy of the ruling made on Tuesday by Judge Redson Kapindu, the State has conceded that it was going to be unrealistic to convict Mwanamkeka for lack of evidence.

In his application for discharge, Mwanamkeka submitted among others that he was not working at RBM when the alleged charges were committed, as he was a minister of Agriculture.

Reads the ruling in part: “In the present case, given the affidavit in response filed by the State, this Court concludes that the prosecutor (the State) is both unable and unwilling to proceed with the case against the 1stAccused person, in terms of section 247(1) of the CP and EC.”

Source:NPL