Malawi Congress Party (MCP) secretary general Richard Chimwendo Banda has filed an urgent appeal in the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal to stay a 90-day remand warrant that was issued on December 15 2025 by the Chief Resident Magistrate Court in Lilongwe.
With the hearing on this set for January 9 2026 by Justice of Appeal, Dorothy Nyakaunda Kamanga, Chimweno Banda also awaits a high court ruling on his bail application before Justice Mzonde Mvula of the High Court in Lilongwe.
In an interview yesterday, Judiciary spokesperson Ruth Mputeni said the former cabinet minister, who is currently on remand at Maula Prison, sought an order to stay or suspend the warrant.
Following the application, Mputeni disclosed that Justice of Appeal, Dorothy Nyakauda Kamanga will hold an inter-partes hearing on January 9 2026.
Chimwendo Banda’s lawyer, George Jivason Kadzipatike, in a separate interview, said the application for bail in the High Court and the application for stay of the remand warrant in the Supreme Court of Appeal are different and independent applications.
“What we want is the quickest release of Honourable Chimwendo from the unlawful detention. He is innocent and the State has not provided any piece of evidence linking him to the allegations of attempted murder up to now.
“A minute in unlawful detention is too long. Should the High Court deliver its ruling, there will be no need to proceed with the application in Supreme Court of Appeal,” he said.
Mvula on December 24 2025 heard the bail application and is yet to rule on the matter after hearing submissions from both the defence and State.
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