By Cathy Maulidi:
Opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has branded the arrests of its senior members, including the party’s vice president for the Southern Region, Joseph Mwanamvekha, and lawmaker Sameer Suleman, as politically motivated.
However, the police insist that the arrested individuals are believed to have committed offences for which they must answer.
They picked Mwanamvekha, a former minister of Finance, over the alleged misappropriation of K447.5 billion of government funds through Salima Sugar Company and the Greenbelt Initiative.
The police also arrested former Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Lloyd Muhara; former Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority chief executive officer, Collings Magalasi; former Secretary to the Treasury, Cliff Chiunda; and one Jimmy Grey Kusamale, all in connection with the same Salima Sugar issue.
According to Malawi Police Service (MPS) spokesperson, Peter Kalaya, the arrests follow investigations that MPS has been conducting.
“The investigations started following an audit report by Audit Consult of Salima Sugar Company carried out in 2023 which revealed that the said government money was misused,” Kalaya said.
He added that this is the same case in which the police arrested former chairperson of Salima Sugar, Shierish Betgiri, and three others, immediately after launching the investigations in 2023.
“The arrest of the five brings the total number of arrested suspects to nine. Malawi Police Service is currently hunting for Dr Henry Njoloma, former acting chief executive officer for Greenbelt Initiative who is on the run,” Kalaya said.
He confirmed that the police would take the five suspects to court after completing their statement collection process.
In an interview, Mwanamvekha’s lawyer, Kalekeni Kaphale, said he had been informed that the accused would be taken to court today.
“I can confirm that they have been arrested in connection with issues at Salima Sugar but I am yet to receive full details of the charges,” Kaphale said.
Meanwhile, in Blantyre, the police arrested Suleman, who is also DPP National Organising Secretary and Blantyre City South East Member of Parliament, on libel charges.
Suleman, an outspoken critic of the current administration, is accused of making defamatory remarks against Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Secretary-General Richard Chimwendo Banda, Mining Minister Ken Zikhale Ng’oma and MCP Youth Director Baba Steve Malondera, in an interview that was broadcast on Facebook.
In the interview, Suleman alleged that the three were plotting to kill him.
Suleman’s lawyer, Bob Chimkango, confirmed the development, saying that Suleman was being detained at Blantyre Police Station.
The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, which the lawmaker chairs, is currently conducting its meetings, just like the rest of the committees.
When parliamentarians are in session, they enjoy immunity, except in cases of serious offences such as murder and treason.
It is, however, unclear if the immunity applies to committee meetings as well.
Parliament spokesperson Ian Mwenye said that the police were best placed to comment on the matter but that Parliament was engaging with the law enforcement authorities.
In the statement signed by DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba, the party described the arrests as acts of intimidation aimed at silencing the opposition.
“These acts of political intimidation and threats must stop. They have already lost the trust and support of the Malawian people and they seek to silence all opposing and dissenting voices,” the statement says.
Alliance for Democracy president Enoch Chihana also condemned the arrests, calling them a sad and deliberate attempt to silence the opposition ahead of the elections.
Chihana, who visited Mwanamvekha at the police station where he was being held, linked the arrest to politics.
However, governance commentator Mphatso Chirwa insisted in a separate interview yesterday that, while it is impossible to rule out politics from the arrests, no one is immune if they commit a crime.
“I think it is wrong to assume that politicians cannot be arrested. In any case, where the police arrest someone, we expect justice to prevail.
“Otherwise, it is not right to expect that politicians should not be held responsible if they commit crimes,” Chirwa said.
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