The High Court in Blantyre has ordered Times Group company who is the owner of the Daily Times newspaper to compensate former minister of Agriculture and DPP politician George Chaponda over a defamatory article on maize scandal inquiry.

However, Judge Dingiswayo Madise has also ruled that Times should apologize and withdraw the articles and this should be published in their newspapers in the next 10 days.

Chaponda sued Blantyre Newspapers Limited on the basis that the contents of the story and headline insinuated that he was not willing to cooperate at the expense of him being a well-trained lawyer.

The story was to do with his alleged failure to appear before an inquiry sanctioned by the parliamentary committee on agriculture so they hear his side of the story about the maize procurement saga issue in December 2016.

Madise has also ordered the registrar of the court to assess damages so that Times Group pays him

In an interview after the court ruling, Chaponda said he was happy that after five years, the case has been concluded.

In the maize gate issue, Chaponda was cleared by the courts after various legal battles.