Joseph Mwanyungwa

Joseph Mwanyungwa is a judge on the High Court of Malawi. In 2000, he held the position of Assistant Chief State Advocate. [ [http://www.ifex.org/alerts/content/view/full/11181 "State prosecutor withdraws charges against journalists"] , International Freedom of Expression Exchange, 9 August 2000] On 7 August 2007, Mwanyungwa's home in Blantyre was raided after he ruled against the government, in what the acting director of the anti-corruption bureau called a "normal routine operation." [http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=534414 "Cops raid home of Malawi judge"] , AFP via "The Sunday Times", 7 August 2007] The event took place after he refused to vacate an injunction sought by opposition MPs Gerald Mponda and Leonard Mangulama to indefinitely adjourn parliament. The vacating had been sought by the Attorney General. This follows from weeks of conflict between President Bingu wa Mutharika and opposition parties over a previous court ruling allowing the speaker of the parliament to sack the 41 MPs who crossed over to Mutharika's party after being elected under the banner of other parties. The sacking of these MPs would cause the collapse of the president's minority administration and trigger large numbers of by-elections. In response, opposition parties have refused to discuss the budget. In a press conference of the Democratic Progressive Party held on the 7th, Mwanyungwa and lawyer Ralph Kasambara were heavily criticized; Deputy Secretary General Francis Mphepo stating, "What Justice Manyungwa and Kasambara have done is practically the same as a coup d'état. The act of meeting at night to conspire only borders on witchcraft. These two will be held accountable for anything that might happen to this country." [ [http://www.dailytimes.bppmw.com/article.asp?ArticleID=6065 " DPP attacks Kasambara, Manyungwa"] by Gedion Munthali, "The Daily Times", 7 August 2007]

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