High Court frees Phiri from homicide case

Mavuto Phiri is now a free man following his acquittal from a murder charge that he was arrested for in 2018. The Karonga-based man was suspected to have killed his brother during a scuffle that ensued between the deceased and his father.

On 15 September 2018, Mavuto’s brother (deceased) accused his father of having an intimate relationship with the brother’s wife. The father started quarreling with his son who was carrying with him a knife and a bottle of beer. The son was so furious according to Mavuto that he (Mavuto) intervened to save the father.

The deceased slipped and fell on the knife and bottle which were in his possession. Mavuto took the brother to the hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. Chilumba police later arrested Mavuto for causing the death of the brother.

Mavuto Phiri sought legal aid and was represented throughout the trial. He was granted bail as he awaited trial to commence. The State told the Court that some of the witnesses it intended to parade were relatives of Mavuto.

As time went by, the relatives were not forthcoming to testify for the State in Court. In a High Court sitting at Karonga, the State applied for a discharge of the accused before Justice Justuce Kishindo, since witnesses were unwilling to testify.

Justice Kishindo granted the State’s prayer and Mavuto Phiri, who is a subsistence farmer, was discharged.