Chilungamo Programme

29/09/2022

For the first time, Likoma district has a purpose-built court house courtesy of Chilungamo Programme of the European Union in Malawi Malawi Government DAI Global

29/09/2022

For the first time, Likoma district has purpose-built Police Victim Support Unit, courtesy of Chilungamo Programme European Union in Malawi Malawi Government

28/09/2022

28/09/2022

Tomorrow, September 29, 2022, the European Union in Malawi officially hands over refurbished magistrate court and Police Victim Support Unit to the Malawi Government on Likoma Island, a first in the district courtesy of Malawi Governmentt DAI Global

01/07/2022

The Ministry of Justice is consulting the Mchinji District Executive Committee as part of its consultations to inform the formulation of a new Strategic Plan for the Ministry. The Ministry realizes the critical role that the DEC plays in Local Government administration and hopes that the key issues that the Committee highlights should be addressed in the next five years. Consultations courtesy of European Union in Malawi through Chilungamo Programme and Malawi Government

30/06/2022

The Ministry of Justice is conducting a second Focus Group Discussion in Salima District at Traditional Authority Salima Area Development Committee (ADC) where members are requesting the Ministry to provide primary justice advisors who would assist the citizens to access legal advice when needed, the discussion is funded by the European Union in Malawi Chilungamo Programme and Malawi Government

30/06/2022

30.06.2022 The Ministry of Justice is conducting Focus Group Discussions in Salima District at Kalonga Area Development Committee (ADC) to get views from Citizens on how the Ministry can incorporate issues that affect them at ADC and village level in the new Strategic Plan for the Ministry using support from the European Union in Malawi through the Chilungamo Programme and Malawi Government

08/04/2022

Phalombe Albino killers trial: One convicted

The High Court sitting in Phalombe has convicted one and acquitted two more of the initial six people suspected of killing Yosefe Muyaya, a 14-year-old boy with albinism. Earlier this year, Judge Violet Chipao found two others without a case to answer while one died in the course of trial.
The six were charged with three counts of murder, extracting human tissue and trafficking in persons.
Delivering her judgment, Justice Chipao found the first accused person, Patrick Thomson Muhevule guilty on all charges of murder, extracting human tissue and trafficking in person, having confessed to have participated in ‘slaughtering’ Muyaya along a river bank, two years ago.
However, Justice Chipao acquitted fifth and sixth accused persons, Frank Nakuphethe and Liston Mapondo Kachochola respectively, saying there was no sufficient evidence to prove them guilty.
The second accused person, Zione Mukhala died in prison, while the third and fourth, Felix Jafali Kilimani and Felix Stone, were found with no case to answer and were acquitted soon after the State finished parading their witnesses.
“We are happy with the judgment because it is a true reflection of the evidence that was presented in court. We are happy for the four accused persons who have been acquitted in this matter,” said lead defence counsel, Newton Mdazizira.
He led a team of three Legal Aid Bureau lawyers in defending the six accused persons; others being Raphael Makanje and Kelicia Chingeni, while Andrew Salamba represented the state.
“We have received the judgement. We’ll study it and decide whether to appeal,” he said.
Judge Chipao has adjourned the matter to April 28th, 2022, for the sentencing.
The Ad hoc homicide trial was courtesy of the European Union in Malawi funded Chilungamo Programme Programme of the Ministry of Justice. The success is a demonstration of coordination among institutions in the justice system including the Malawi Judiciary Malawi Police Service Malawi Prisons Service and Legal Aid Bureau Malawi.

05/03/2022

‘Prisons struggle to access funds’

The Nation Online / JONATHAN PASUNGWI /
Malawi Inspectorate of Prisons (MIP) has revealed that most of the country’s prisons are facing challenges to access their funds through the Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (Ifmis).

MIP chairperson Judge Ken Manda says most of the prisons last accessed their funds for operations in July 2021, a development which has resulted in Malawi Prison Services (MPS) failing to pay its suppliers.

Manda, who is also Malawi Judiciary High Court judge, said this on Thursday when the inspectorate, whose members include the Ombudsman, visited Chichiri Prison in Blantyre to establish the institution’s condition.

He said for instance, Zomba Central Prison alone owes Southern Region Water Board about K231 million in water bills, a situation which makes the prison face frequent water challenges.

Said Manda: “Everybody keeps on blaming Ifmis. They [MPS] cannot repair their vehicles. Most of the prisons use electric pots and most of those pots are broken down. They cannot be repaired.

“So, they have to use firewood, which is also a challenge.”
He said they don’t know why the system is experiencing the challenges.

“It is our hope that we will have a meeting with the Ministry of Finance to see where exactly the challenges are because, to be honest, it is becoming a major issue in the prisons,” said Manda.

He stressed the need for the country to introduce a special fund for prisons as a starter to train inmates in different technical skills such as tailoring, bricklaying and commercial agriculture to enable prisons to be self-sustaining.

“If funds can be provided to prisons where you say, here is the seed money, buy materials we want you to produce uniforms, they can produce the uniforms and sell them to government at a reduced cost,” said Manda.

In a separate interview, Ministry of Finance spokesperson William Banda said Treasury has been providing funding as appropriated by Parliament and as per cash flow submitted by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

But he said Treasury understands that some MDAs were having challenges in managing Ifmis due to lack of training.

Said Banda: “But to date, 1 600 people have been trained, including those from prisons.

“And the same challenges you can find with the Education [Ministry] because some secondary schools were not linked, but currently they have rectified that problem. So the issue is about understanding the technology.”

Records from MPS show that the country’s prison population fluctuates between 11 000 and 13 000.

The post ‘Prisons struggle to access funds’ appeared first on The Nation Online.

The current prison inspection initiative is courtesy of the European Union in Malawi supported Chilungamo Programme.

04/03/2022

Ombudsman takes Act review consultations to southern region

The second consultative meeting on the amendment of the Ombudsman Act that establishes the Office of the Ombudsman - Malawi, is scheduled to start this morning in Blantyre for Southern region MDAs, CSOs and others.

The review of the Ombudsman Act comes 25 years since the OoO was established under the 1994 constitution of Malawi. The Ombudsman Act was enacted in 1996.

Section 123 of the Constitution, mandates the OoO to “Investigate any and all cases where it is alleged that a person has suffered injustice and it does not appear that there is any remedy reasonably available by way of proceedings in a court or by way of appeal from a court or where there is no other practicable remedy”.

During the past 25 years, the OoO has registered a number of gains amid growing challenges around its jurisdiction and forms of remedies the Ombudsman can grant, and its enforcement powers.

Regional consultative meetings targeting Judges, former ombudsmen, academia, CSOs, MDAs, religious groups, among others, began with Lilongwe at BICC courtesy of European Union in Malawi supported @ Chilungamo Programme.

03/03/2022

Prison Inspections on course

The Prison Inspectorate led by Judge Ken Manda with Ombudsman Grace Malera, among others, is done with the north, central & eastern regions.

The initiating targeting 31 Prisons and eight police establishments, is focusing on general prison conditions.

This initiative is courtesy of the European Union in Malawi supported Chilungamo Programme, a project of the Malawi Government through the Ministry of Justice.

Chilungamo programme has seven beneficiary institution including the Office of the Ombudsman - Malawi Malawi Human Rights Commission Malawi Prisons Service Malawi Police Service Legal Aid Bureau, Malawi Judiciary and Ministry of Justice.

18/02/2022

Ombudsman Act under review, 25 years later

The Office of the Ombudsman - Malawi will today start a process of reviewing the Ombudsman Act, with stakeholder consultative meetings planned across the regions of the country.

The review of the Ombudsman Act comes 25 years since the OoO was established under the 1994 constitution of Malawi. The Ombudsman Act was enacted in 1996.

Section 123 of the Constitution, mandates the OoO to “Investigate any and all cases where it is alleged that a person has suffered injustice and it does not appear that there is any remedy reasonably available by way of proceedings in a court or by way of appeal from a court or where there is no other practicable remedy”.

During the past 25 years, the OoO has registered a number of gains amid growing challenges around its jurisdiction and forms of remedies the Ombudsman can grant, and its enforcement powers.

Regional consultative meetings targeting Judges, former ombudsmen, academia, CSOs, MDAs, religious groups, among others, will begin with Lilongwe at BICC courtesy of European Union in Malawi supported Chilungamo Programme.