High Court Judge Annabel Mtalimanja has adjourned to May 20, 2022 hearing of a criminal review case between the State and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma. 

The adjournment follows a request by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who said the State needs more time to prepare hearing of the trial as they have been served with court documents on Thursday.

Delivering her determination on the State’s request, Judge Mtalimanja said the State has until May 10 to submit their submissions whilst the claimant has until May 17, 2022.

In an interview, one of Chizuma’s lawyers, Martha Kaukonde, said the claimant is ready to commence the proceedings.

“For the claimants team we were ready to proceed with the matter but the court has decided to adjourn and we don’t have any problem with that and the other party is supposed to be given an opportunity to file their documents so that the matter can be decided its merits,” she said.

The claimant wants the court to review an order by Mzuzu Senior Resident Magistrate Godfrey Nyirenda that Chizuma should be interrogated in relation to a leaked phone conversation with a person yet to be officially identified.

A concerned citizen, Frighton Mphopo, asked the Magistrate’s court to open a case against Chizuma on the basis that she disclosed official information to a third party against the law.