The US Embassy has described the Commission of Inquiry report on the arrest of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma as unbalanced.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Embassy said the inquiry did not only produced an unbalanced report but did not also address the violations of the Director General’s fundamental human rights.
Recently, Chizuma alss criticized the Commission of Inquiry report on her arrest.
Chizuma’s lawyer Martha Kaukonde told the local media that apart from ignoring some aspects of her testimony, the inquiry drew some conclusions and recommendations without hearing her side of the story.
“My client is obviously disappointed that what she presented to the commission regarding the main issue that the inquiry was all about, (which has) to do with the manner and appropriateness of the arrest, was not presented,” she said .
“Moreover there are some conclusions that have been made based on submissions by one person on the issue of her uncooperativeness without hearing her side, that is not right.
“The recommendation that her office and others be reorganized is not based on the law considering that the issues for such a suggestion were already dealt with by the appointing authority in January 2022,” Kaukonde said.
In reaction, Chairperson for the Commission of Inquiry, retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Edward Twea faulted Chizuma’s criticism.
He wondered why her legal team and Malawians have turned the inquiry into a contest of the an accuser and the accused.
“But if they take that approach, well, everyone has the right to express an opinion,” he said.
