Zamba faces abuse of office charges
By Michael Martin//MALAWI
Former Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Colleen Zamba has been formally charged with abuse of office relating to actions allegedly committed between 2022 and 2023.
According to the State, Zamba is accused of unlawfully recruiting about 300 individuals into government service without following established legal procedures.
The prosecution has asked the court to grant a 14-day period within which Zamba is expected to either take a plea or challenge the charges filed against her.
The State further informed the court that the extension is necessary to allow both the prosecution and the defence to exchange and review documents relevant to the case.
Zamba’s legal team agreed to the proposal for additional time, stating that the sharing of documents is crucial for adequate preparation.
Meanwhile, Zamba’s lawyers have requested the court to consider granting her bail, arguing that she is a respected and reliable citizen of Malawi.
They also highlighted that Zamba is a civil servant, which they say strengthens her position as a trustworthy individual who is unlikely to abscond.
The defence reminded the court that Zamba has already been in police custody for more than 48 hours since her arrest on Tuesday morning at Kamuzu International Airport.
In response, the State acknowledged that Zamba has the constitutional right to apply for bail.
However, the prosecution urged the court not to grant bail lightly, pointing to what they described as the seriousness of the charges she is facing.
The State proposed strict bail conditions should the court decide to release her.
Among the proposed conditions is a requirement that Zamba provide surety in the form of property registered in her name, valued at not less than K50 million.
The State also asked that she be ordered to report to a police station every Monday of each week.
Additional conditions include presenting verifiable sureties who are her close relatives, and surrendering her travel documents to the police.
Zamba’s legal representatives opposed some of these conditions, arguing that the charges do not amount to a major offence requiring such stringent measures.
They insisted that property surety is unnecessary, proposing instead that credible individuals be allowed to stand as her bail guarantors.
The defence further requested that Zamba be required to report to police only once every two weeks, not weekly as proposed by the State.
They argued that the State’s proposed schedule is excessive and not proportional to the nature of the allegations.
Both sides presented strong arguments and the court is expected to make its determination on bail after reviewing the submissions.
Hearing of the case continues as the court prepares to rule on the next steps in the ongoing legal proceedings.
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