By Mercy Matonga:
UTM Secretary General Patricia Kaliati is expected to appear in court today following her arrest on Thursday last week.
The court will decide whether Kaliati should be released on bail after being arrested for a felony.
Malawi Police Service spokesperson Peter Kalaya, in a statement released on Saturday, said police arrested Kaliati on suspicion of conspiring with others to commit an undisclosed serious offence.
“MPS’s investigation of the case is at an advanced stage and Hon. Kaliati will appear in court on Monday, October 28, 2024.
“At this stage, MPS cannot reveal all details of the case to the public to protect its witnesses and avoid jeopardising its investigation,” the statement read.
It added that the public and concerned stakeholders should be assured that the case is being handled with the utmost respect for the fundamental human rights of the suspect.
Speaking to The Daily Times, UTM spokesperson Felix Njawala said it is unfortunate that the police arrested Kaliati before completing their investigation.
“We are very worried about how the government has acted in this matter. When arresting individuals, the police need to have sufficient evidence,” Njawala said.
Njawala further accused the government of arresting Kaliati on political grounds, which he believes should not happen in a democratic era.
In a statement following her arrest, the NGO Gender Coordination Network and the Women’s Manifesto Movement expressed concern over Kaliati’s arrest.
“We hope that Kaliati’s arrest will neither impede the advancements made in the political engagement of women nor deter other women from entering the political sphere,” the statement read.
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