The High Court in Lilongwe has dismissed an application by former president Peter Mutharika and former secretary to the President and Cabinet Lloyd Muhara to stay execution of order for costs pending review of assessments of costs. The court earlier ordered Mutharika and Muhara to pay K69.5 million as legal costs after they were faulted for trying to force Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda and Justice Edward Twea to go on leave pending retirement. Lawyers for Malawi Law Society, Human Rights Defenders Coalition and Association of Magistrates in Malawi asked the court to order the two to personally meet costs of the case.