The Supreme Court of Appeal has overturned the 2020 High Court judgment where the lower court ordered former President Peter Mutharika to pay in a judicial review case initiated by the Human Right Defenders Coalition (HRDC).

The initial ruling ordered Mutharika and Justice Lloyd Muhara to pay MK69 million in costs for a judicial review initiated by HRDC, Magistrates Association of Malawi, and the Malawi Law Society.

The Supreme Court’s reversal not only cleared Mutharika and Muhara of the costs but also ordered the plaintiffs to pay costs for both the High Court and the Supreme Court.

Charles Mhango, part of Mutharika’s legal team, confirmed this development in a Facebook post, highlighting the full bench of seven justices’ decision to reverse the High Court judgment made on November 20, 2020.