South Africa-based law professor, Danwood Chirwa, has questioned the legality of according Ralph Kasambara a state funeral.
Chirwa, referring to Kasambara’s conviction for attempted murder, argued that the decision to grant him a state funeral “made everyone complicit in breaking the law”.
“The proper procedure would have been to grant a pardon first and then declare the state funeral,” he said.
Chirwa believes the illegality of granting a convict a state funeral led to the tragedy that cost the country nine other innocent lives including the vice president Saulos Chilima.
“We still need the pardon, otherwise, everyone remains complicit in that illegality,” he added.
Kasambara, the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, was convicted of attempting to murder former budget director Paul Mphwiyo.
He was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment with hard labor but applied for a stay of judgment pending an appeal.
