Former Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining Aggrey Masi on Wednesday testified in a case involving former Cabinet Ministers Symon Vuwa Kaunda and Charles Mchacha alongside two others who are answering a charge to do with transfer of land within Kanjedza Forest Reserve in Blantyre.

Masi told High Court Judge Anabel Mtalimanja that he could not competently comment on anything to do with the transfer of the said land and he did not issue any consent on the transfer of land in his capacity as a Minister.

On Wednesday, the State also paraded Surveyor General Julius Chisi who told the Court that part of the sold land was initially intended for construction of office and houses for Regional Forestry Officers.

In an interview, Chief Legal and Prosecutions Officer at the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Victor Chiwala said the State has established its case from the testimony rendered by the two witnesses.

“What we wanted them to testify on was just to lay a background of the case because the issue that Mchacha got the land which belongs to the Department of Forestry without the Department giving consent that the land can be transferred,” said Chiwala.

“As the regards the surveyor general we wanted him to show the exact location of the land and I think he has managed to do that.”

Chiwala added that the State wanted to hear from the former minister whether he gave consent or not so as you might have heard in the court he said he never issued any consent.

Hearing of the matter has been adjourned to a date to be communicated by the court as fourth State witness who was supposed to testify on Thursday former Minister Bintony Kutsaira will not be available having reported that he will in attendance of a funeral ceremony.

Mchacha is alleged to have illegally acquired the 1.5 hectare land in 2019.