Rumphi East legislator Kamlepo Kalua and human rights activist Bon Kalindo are spending the weekend in police custody following their recent arrests on cybercrime-related charges.
The allegations stem from the release of voice notes (VNs) which authorities believe may contain criminal content, in accordance with the Electronic Transaction and Cyber Security Act.
Kalua, who was apprehended yesterday in Blantyre, is being held at Namitete Police Station while Kalindo, who was arrested in Salima District on Thursday, is being kept at Lumbadzi Police Station.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Kalua’s lawyer Lusungu Gondwe expressed concern about police’s handling of the case.
He emphasised the need for professionalism and criticised the practice of arresting suspects on Fridays, knowing that they won’t be able to provide caution statements, or appear in court promptly.
Kalindo’s lawyer Khwima Mchizi confirmed that his client had not yet recorded a caution statement.
According to National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya, the alleged VNs are related to the plane crash on June 10 in Chikangawa Forest in Mzimba that claimed the lives of Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Parliament George Chaponda has expressed concern with what he has termed “continued arrest of activists and citizens under the Cybercrime Act”.
In a statement issued yesterday, he said the recent arrests of Kamlepo Kalua and Bon Kalindo are a clear indication that the government is using the Cybercrime Act as a tool to intimidate those who express views critical of the regime.
While pledging to continue monitoring the situation closely, Chaponda has urged government to immediately release Kalua and Kalindo. He has also urged government to ensure that the law is not used to suppress dissent and also engage in a comprehensive review of the Cybercrime Act.
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