In the capital Lilongwe, High Court Judge Redson Kapindu has dismissed all six grounds presented by former Inspector General of Police George Kainja in his challenge against his arrest by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Kainja was arrested based on foreign evidence linking him to UK-based businessperson Zuneth Sattar, who is facing corruption charges in the UK.
Kainja’s lawyer, Gift Nankhuni, stated in an interview outside the court that the judge ruled that the defense arguments can be raised during the criminal trial rather than at this stage of the proceedings.
Following the court’s decision, ACB Chief Legal and Prosecutions Officer Imran Saidi has indicated that the bureau will now need to determine how to proceed with the case.
Kainja was arrested by the ACB on June 23, 2022, on allegations of receiving bribes from Sattar to manipulate the awarding of a contract for the supply of 350,000 police food ration packs. In response, Kainja applied for a judicial review of the decision to arrest him, based on information provided by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
The Sattar probe implicated many including Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima.
