By Lauryn M’banga

The High Court sitting in Ntchisi District has acquitted three men who were suspected of murdering 63-year-old Joseph Edward Banda in 2023, citing a lack of sufficient evidence.

According to the Legal Aid Bureau, the three men, Joseph Gladwell Master, Yohane Petro, and Paul Francisco, had been on remand at Ntchisi Prison despite denying the charge.

The state had been unable to present adequate evidence linking them to the crime.

The three men were arrested in June 2023 under suspicion of involvement in Banda’s death.

Though the police investigations did not reveal direct evidence connecting them to the crime, witness accounts placed the accused in the same location as the deceased before his death.

After being held in remand, the Legal Aid Bureau visited Ntchisi Prison later that year and recorded statements from the men. They were granted legal aid and represented by Senior Legal Aid Advocates Jacqueline Ntanthiko and Chanju Kondowe, with assistance from Legal Aid Officer Sarah Simbani Chirwa.

After thoroughly reviewing the case, the state concluded in March 2025 that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a conviction.

As a result, the prosecution moved to discontinue the case, which was accepted by the court.

The accused men were subsequently discharged, after spending nearly two years in prison.