The High Court in Blantyre has discharged all treason charges levelled against former vice-president Cassim Chilumpha.

Chilumpha's co-accused businessperson Yusuf Matumula has also been discharged from the case which started in May 2006.

High Court judge Ruth Chinangwa said the State has shown no willingness to prosecute the matter which has remained dormant for almost 17 years.

"Apart from that the State is also asking the court for a further 90 days...if at all they were to continue prosecuting the matter.

"It seems that this matter was a forgotten cause for the State," reads part of the judgement dated October 18 2023.

In the criminal cause Number 13 of 2006, Chilumpha applied to be discharged as an accused person or for the action to be dismissed due to what he described as unreasonable delay in prosecuting the matter.

Chilumpha was arrested in May 2006 together with Matumula on allegations of plotting to kill former president late Bingu wa Mutharika using assassins hired from South Africa.

They were accused of the offences of treason contrary to section 38 of the Penal Code & conspiracy to murder contrary to section 227 of the Penal Code.

Chilumpha and the late Mutharika fell out in 2005 after the former president left United Democratic Front , a party that sponsored him into power in 2004, to form his Democratic Progressive Party.