A fresh legal storm is brewing after lawyer Alexious Kamangila continued posting attacks against High Court Judge Kenan Manda, despite a court order directing him to remove defamatory statements and stop publishing similar remarks.
The High Court, through Judge Howard Pemba, ruled that Kamangila was liable for defamation after his defence was struck out for failing to comply with court directions.
The court further ordered Kamangila to remove the offending publications within 24 hours and permanently restrained him from publishing the same or substantially similar statements against Judge Manda.
But hours after the ruling, Kamangila appeared to openly defy the order.
In a fresh social media post, he wrote:
“Kenan Manda is corrupt to the core, and he can’t win a defamation case against anyone, moreso, Alexious Kamangila.”
He also dismissed reactions to the ruling, describing the case as a “facade” and insulting Malawians celebrating the decision.
The development could potentially deepen Kamangila’s legal troubles, as legal observers say continued publication of similar statements after a court injunction may expose him to further court action, including possible contempt proceedings.
The dispute between the two began in October 2024 after Kamangila accused Judge Manda of corruption and misconduct in social media posts. Manda denied the allegations and sued for K250 million in damages, an apology, and a retraction.
Now, what started as a defamation case is rapidly evolving into a direct confrontation between a defiant lawyer and the authority of the court itself.