A high-profile murder trial has begun in Malawi’s High Court in Lilongwe, with a Rwandan national, Gentille Giramata, accused of poisoning her ex-husband, Habimana Noel Emily.
Two witnesses testified against Giramata on Tuesday, including the mother of the deceased, Bellancilla Mukandori, and his former girlfriend, Hawa Hashim.
Mukandori expressed suspicion over Giramata’s report of her son’s death, claiming she did not see any wounds on his body at the mortuary.
The trial is expected to continue tomorrow, with the court having set aside June 4-14 for the hearing.
Giramata’s lawyers had earlier attempted to have the case dismissed, arguing that the prosecution’s evidence did not prove her involvement in the murder.
However, the court ruled that the application was premature, as no evidence had been presented yet.
Giramata and co-accused Rafiki Munyamagaju are accused of killing Habimana, who died on October 17, 2019. All parties involved are Rwandan nationals.
The case is being closely watched in both Malawi and Rwanda, with many following the proceedings for updates on the high-profile murder trial.
