By Chisomo Phiri
The High Court has denied bail to Annie Debre Mumba, who is serving a 53-year sentence for the murder of her husband, Peter Mumba, who was a professor of chemistry at Lilongwe of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR ).
In a ruling delivered on July 28, Justice Mzonde Mvula dismissed Mumba’s request for release pending appeal, stating that she was rightly convicted and no longer enjoys the presumption of innocence.
“The facts have been tried in full,any attempt to go out from prison on bail pending appeal is a mockery to the criminal justice system,” ruled Mvula .
Mumba was convicted in October 2024.
Her lawyers contended that the conviction was not supported beyond reasonable doubt and argued that the sentence was excessive.
However, the state maintained that she had failed to demonstrate ‘exceptional and unusual circumstances’ warranting bail.
Professor Mumba died of poison on April 25,2020.