High Court Judge Annabel Mtalimanja has granted the State an order to carry out an inquest into the death of former Malawi Police Service (MPS) Director of Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Bob Mtekana.

Mtekana, who died November 2020, was involved in high profile cases including the death of then Director of Corporate Affairs at the Anti-Corruption Bureau Issa Njaunju.

In an interview after the Court’s order, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Steven Kayuni said the Magistrate Court will commence processes of the inquiry where the State is scheduled to parade witnesses.

“The way forward is that like in any other inquest the court will have to appoint what we call a columnar who have to take the process of an inquest into the death of the former director of CID.

“The matter, as per order, will go to the Magistrate`s court and a call will be made for witnesses to come and testify before court on what happened leading to the death and then the Court will make its decision on that,” said Kayuni.

The DPP was however mum on a number witnesses the State is expected to parade when the inquest commences.

He said: “When a call is made, it depends on how many witnesses know or anyone who knows anything touching on the death of the person who is subject of that inquest. So it is very difficult to tell at the moment as to how many would come forward.”

Reports indicate that Mtekana’s death was as a result of Covid-19 related complications.