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Lawyers for Malawiâs Ailing Former President to go to Court Monday

   Peter Clottey 12 September 2010

   An  attorney  for Malawiâs former President Bakili Muluzi has told VOA
   defense  lawyers will go to court Monday to agree on a date to enter a
   plea to the former leaderâs corruption charges.

   Attorney  Jai  Banda said former President Muluzi is not medically fit
   to stand trial.

   âThe case was actually set down last week Friday but, then, Friday was
   a holiday here in Malawi, so we couldnât (go) to court and that is why
   we  are  going today. When we go today, itâs basically to go and agree
   on a date of entering (a) plea,â he said.

AFP Photo

   Malawi's  former  President  Bakili  Muluzi says he is innocent of the
   graft charges against him saying they are politically motivated

   Mr.  Muluzi  was  initially  charged  with  86  counts  of  corruption
   following  his  arrest  in  2009  after he was accused of stealing $12
   million worth of aid funds. But, the charges were later reduced to 12m
   counts.

   The former Malawian leader has denied the charges describing them as a
   political  witch-hunt  after  his  acrimonious  fallout  with  current
   President Bingu Wa Mutharika.

   He  was  quoted  by a local newspaper as saying, âI have been strongly
   advised  to  avoid  strenuous  activity  and  extensive  and prolonged
   sitting  and that I should return to hospital in two months time. What
   the  ACB  (Anti-Corruption  Bureau) is doing to me is not prosecution,
   but  persecution and torture. I am tired of this political persecution
   by the ACB.â

   Critics  say the former leader, who has a history of back problems, is
   feigning  illness  to avoid prosecution after allegedly stealing donor
   funds meant for Malawiâs poor.

   Attorney  Banda  rejected  the  accusation  saying  Mr.  Muluzi is not
   feigning illness to avoid the charges adding that the defense team has
   evidence to prove its case in court that the former leader is innocent
   of all the charges against him.

   âThe  evidence  we have got is that the former president is not fit to
   stand  trial,  and  we  are  going  to  bring  all those things to the
   attention of the court. We are already prepared for that and, when the
   time  comes,  we  are  going  to  make  sure that we bring them to the
   attention of the court and nab the way forward,â Banda said.

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