Everson Luhanga
The High Court in Malawi’s commercial capital Blantyre has sentenced the country’s richest man, Dr. Thomson Mpinganjira, to nine years imprisonment with hard labour.
The business tycoon was found guilty of attempting to bribe five High Court Judges who were presiding over a landmark presidential election case in 2019.
In the case, incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera and Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima were challenging the results of the election which was won by former President Peter Mutharika.
The result was highly contested, both on Malawi’s streets and in its courts.
Chakwera and Chilima sought to have the election deemed null and void, arguing that it was fraudulent and riddled with irregularities.
On 3 February the following year, Malawi’s Constitutional Court overturned the results of the election and ordered a new presidential poll, which Chakwera won in June this year.
Mpinganjira offered five of the judges ruling over the case K100 million, the equivalent of R2 million, to rule in favour of President Mutharika.
After being found guilty last month, High Court Judge Dorothy DeGabrielle delivered Mpinganjira’s sentence on Tuesday.
In her judgment, Judge DeGabrielle told the court that Mpinganjira acted with impunity to undermine the course of justice.
“He was answering six charges under the Corrupt Practices Act relating to attempting to induce High Court judges Mike Tembo and Healy Potani to exercise their functions corruptly by offering them K100 million,” said the judge.
During the trial, Mpinganjira pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and his legal team is expected to appeal the sentence.
A small group of Mpinganjira’s supporters, especially women wearing Zitenje, gathered outside the High Court to sing and dance and wave placards in support of the convicted criminal.
Mpinganjira is a seasoned businessman with a net worth of R3,3 billion, making him the richest man in the country – ahead of the infamous Shepherd Bushiri.
Image source: @DrMpinganjira
