By Chisomo Phiri
In the ongoing National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) fuel contracts case, defence lawyer Wapona Kita has described former NOCMA Deputy Chief Executive officer (CEO) Helen Buluma as a law breaker.
In court today, Kita said the court already found Buluma to be a law breaker in relation to the NOCMA fuel supply contracts case that Buluma is a witness.
The defense lawyer said court found Buluma to have violated the law by recording conversations with former presidential advisor Chris Chaima Banda and former Minister of Energy Newton Kambala without their knowledge.
Kita said the court declared that Buluma violated the right to privacy of Chaima Banda and Kambala who along Alliance for Democracy president Enoch Chihana are accused of attempting to influence Nocma in awarding of fuel contracts.
He said the ruling has not been challenged up to date.
“Now we are listening to a law breaker,” said Kita.
Responding to the matter, Buluma said she also had the right to protect herself.
She added that as a witness she was only giving evidence and it is for the court to decide on the evidence.
Kita reminded Buluma that she was talking about evidence that she obtained illegally.
He went further to remind Buluma that her appointment as deputy chief executive officer was also illegal.
Kita also said the former NOCMA Deputy CEO is a person who has a tendency of disobeying court orders.
He asked her if she remembers facing contempt of court in the commercial court.
Buluma said she could not remember.
Kita reminded her that she once faced contempt of court for disobeying an injunction that restricted NOCMA on methods of procurement of fuel.
Kambala, Chaima Banda, and Chihana face accusations of influencing fuel supply contracts at NOCMA.
They were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in August 2021 before releasing them on bail.
 fuel contracts case, defence lawyer Wapona Kita has described former NOCMA Deputy Chief Executive officer (CEO) Helen Buluma…){kind=link}