By Chisomo Phiri
The High Court in Mzuzu has acquitted former first lady Gertrude Mutharika’s son Tadikira Mafubza and 7 others in a case where they were accused of aggravated manslaughter and trafficking in persons in connection with the deaths of 30 unidentified people believed to be Ethiopian immigrants.
The 30 bodie were discovered buried in a mass grave in Mtangatanga Forest in Mzimba District in October 2022, but all the accused persons denied the charges.
Delivering the ruling, Judge Gladys Gondwe said the court had found that there was no sufficient evidence from the state to link all the accused to the deaths of the immigrants.
Gondwe also ordered the State to return to owners of detained motor vehicles like a Van owned by Mafudza, which was said to have been used to carry the victims from Karonga to Mtangatanga Forest.
Others who were involved in the case are Samuel Navaya, David Luhanga, Thomas Kazembe, Duncan Kalulu, Boniface Ngulube, Aubrey Dukes and Arnold Mwakiyelu.
