Malawi to probe attempts to bribe poll judges

Malawi's Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda has asked the country's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate bribery attempts targeting judges presiding over the presidential elections case. Justice Nyirenda told the bureau that there had been attempts to bribe the five-judge panel that is hearing the petition. BBC News reports that ACB director Reyneck Matemba confirmed that the complaint has been raised and investigations have begun. The petition challenging President Peter Mutharika's win was filed by the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the United Transformation Movement which said the last year's poll was marred by fraud. Voice of America reports that Mutharika narrowly won, beating MCP candidate Lazarus Chakwera by 159 000 votes. The opposition leaders say the result sheets were tampered with and petitioned the country's top court in August to annul the results. Presidential election results have never been challenged in court since Malawi's independence from Britain in 1964.

Full BBC News report

Full Voice of America report