Former president Peter Mutharika’s bodyguard Norman Chisale is asking for K500 million from the Attorney General as damages for false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and defamation.
This follows his acquittal on April 16 2021, after the High Court found him with no case to answer on charges he had intentionally shot at a woman.
Judge Sylvester Kalembera indicated in his ruling that the State failed to provide evidence that Chisale intended to kill Sigele Amani in Blantyre in 2020.
Chisale was accused of shooting the 37-year-old woman on May 20 2020.
However, the woman told the court that Chisale had visited her in hospital, where he assured her that he did not intend to shoot her.
Now, some 11 months after his acquittal, Chisale wants the government to compensate him, a development his lawyer, Chancy Gondwe, confirmed Wednesday.
he said his client wanted the State to respond to the claim within 90 days.
“Our client was acquitted of the charges on the 16th day of April 2021 after the court found him with no case to answer. The court even agreed with him that the shooting was in self-defence and that he even reported a case of robbery at Soche Police Station in Blantyre. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the State ignored everything and threatened the victim with arrests if she did not pursue the matter in a criminal court against our client,” the claim reads.
Chisale was arrested on 17th July 2020 in Lilongwe, immediately after being released on bail in relation to matters that are still in court.
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