Former vice president Cassim Chilumpha has sued the Attorney General (AG) demanding K24 million for damages following his arrest when he was serving.
Together with businessperson, Yusuf Matumula, Chilumpha was arrested in 2006 on suspicion that they were plotting to assassinate former president Bingu wa Mutharika.
It was alleged that they hired assassins from South Africa to assassinate Bingu.
They were charged with offenses of treason contrary to Section 38 of the Penal Code and conspiracy to murder contrary to Section 227 of the Penal Code.
However, High Court judge Ruth Chinangwa discharged them unconditionally from the case last year.
In the current legal battle, Chilumpha has also demanded that the government should pay him for being prosecuted for 17 years.
Court documents show that he wants K6 billion as punitive/exemplary damages, K4 billion as damages for inconvenience, K5 billion being damages for malicious prosecution, and K4 billion as damages for defamation.
Chilumpha, who founded the Assembly for Democracy and Development (ADD) party, is also demanding K5 billion as Common Law damages and compensation, as per sections 41 (3) 46(4) of the constitution.
AG Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda has said that he will defend the matter.
Chilumpha and Bingu fell out in 2005 after Bingu left the United Democratic Front, a party that sponsored him into power in 2004, to form his Democratic Progressive Party.
