The High Court in Lilongwe has reserved its ruling to later date on an application for judicial review on whether to commence proceedings against Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma over a leaked phone audio.

The adjournment follows submission of arguments from both parties before High Court Judge Annabel Mtalimanja.

The court has however turned down an application by the respondent to cross examine two witnesses whose their sworn statements were presented before the court last week.

In an interview, one of Chizuma’s lawyers; Martha Kaukonde said the claimant is ready to commence the proceedings once the court determines on the application.

“We are proceeding with the hearing on the matter; the application to review.

We just proceeded to the hearing of the application so we made the submissions in our application, they also made theirs so essentially the actual application for review was made today,” said Kaukonde.

On his part, lawyer representing the respondent Frighton Mphompho; Michael Goba Chipeta said their part has submitted their arguments.

He said: “The court was of the view that this is a review, therefore in its discretion did not allow cross examination that we requested for so we have proceeded with the review and all parties have made their arguments before the court.”

Currently what is remaining is for Judge Mtalimanja to determine her decision on a date to be communicated by the court.

The applicant [Chizuma] want the court to determine the legality of a decision by the Mzuzu Senior Resident Magistrate’s court granting commencement of proceedings against the ACB head as requested by Mphompho.