The Chief Resident Magistrate’s court in Lilongwe has adjourned to June 27, 2022 hearing of a fuel importation case involving former Energy Minister Newton Kambala alongside two others.

The adjournment follows a request by the defense who asked the court that they need more time to properly go through evidence being rendered by principal State witness; Nocma Deputy Chief Executive Officer Helen Buluma.

According to one of the defence lawyers Khumbo Soko, Buluma’s testimony needs to fully scrutinised before cross examination commences.

“It’s a postponement, we weren’t ready with the cross examination that’s longer short of it so we asked the court to give us more time.

There is a lot material that this witness has provided to the court including documents and we need to properly go through that material and then present ourselves as ready advocates, our clients are basically fighting for their lives and it’s important that we show,” Soko said.

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma said the State has three more witnesses to go once Buluma winds up her evidence.

She said: “We left it to the discretion of the court which has reluctantly given the adjournment. On our part it’s really something that’s is okay, that’s how cases go.”

Kambala, Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) President Enoch Chihana and President Lazarus Chakwera`s former aid Chris Chaima Banda are being accused of conspiracy to influence a public officer to abuse her office, abuse of office and attempting to influence a public officer to abuse her office.