Former President Peter Mutharika’s bodyguard, Norman Chisale has failed to take plea to charges levelled against him in relation to how he obtained a Junior Certificate of Examinations – JCE.
A month ago, Chisale was arrested on allegations that he altered a Junior Certificate of Education in the year 1996 for him to get recruited in the Malawi Defense Force.
On Friday, Chisale appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Shyreen Chirwa where he was informed of his charges.
But his lawyers stopped the court from proceeding into plea taking arguing the charges, the accused is answering to, need amendment.
Chisale’s lawyers argued, that the alleged altering of the certificate occured in 1996, almost 24 years ago so the charges violate the right to trial within reasonable time.
Furthermore, the defense team argued that Chisale is not in the right state of mind therefore not fit to take plea as he awaits a report on mental health examination.
This forced magistrate Chirwa to adjourn the case to 13th November, to allow both state and defence file their arguments in written form.
And speaking to Metro Online, Pilirani Masanjala, Senior State Advocate in the ministry of justice, dismissed all the grounds of objections saying that the case is still active and that two reports produced by Zomba mental health psychiatrist show that Chisale is fit to stand trial.
