Goodall resigns as Malawi Economic Minister over treason charges

Minister of economic planning and development, Goodall Gondwe, currently under arrest for the alleged coup plot, has offered his resignation from cabinet.

He resigned on Friday after being charged with treason.

In the resignation letter  to President Joyce Banda obtained by Nyasa Times, Gondwe said under “prevailing circumstance” he could no longer serve in his post.

Gondwe and other ten 10 officialswere arrested on Monday in connection with a plot   to hijack the ascendancy to power  of President Joyce Banda following the death of Bingu wa Mutharika in April last year.

After his arrest, Gondwe collapsed and has been at a private clinic in Lilongwe being treated for hypertension.

Gondwe: Alleged coup plotter resigns from cabinet

Malawi police on Monday arrested  Gondwe and other 10 people, including the ex-president’s brother  Peter and interdicted State Chief Secretary Bright Msaka, for the alleged coup plot.

The plot is alleged to have taken place amid the chaos of Mutharika’s death in April last year.

Last week an inquest ruled that Mutharika died of a heart attack on the way to hospital after collapsing at the State House.

But his death was not confirmed for two days and his body was flown to South Africa as would-be successors sought to buy time.

Six ministers held a late-night news conference a day after Mutharika’s death to insist he was still alive.

Under the constitution, Banda was next in line to become president. But Mutharika had been grooming his brother Peter to succeed him.

Banda was eventually sworn in on April 7, after backroom dealings.