BLM Modifies Its Condom Brand ‘Manyuchi’

Nicky Mathews (Middle)

Banja La Mtsogolo (BLM) says has done some changes to its condom brand “Manyuchi” in response to consumer preference and making the product more relevant to all users.

The rebranding of Manyuchi comes as a result of market survey done by BLM last year and the changes on the product address the feedback got from the respondents.

Country Director for BLM, Nicky Mathews says as Manyuchi is the core part of Family Planning Services for the institution, they considered it more important to solicit views from its customers on Manyuchi condoms.

Manyuchi new look

“We are responding to the market research done last year (2014), now we have changed color and scent of Manyuchi condoms. We have an updated condom which is better than we had on the market before” she said

She also said BLM has also done this because they still want Manyuchi to remain relevant product which makes people happy and appealing to all users as people use it in prevention of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STI’s).

The BLM’s country director emphasized that the Manyuchi quality and some features remain unchanged but its strong scent has been reduced whereby now the condoms have a moderate chocolate scented from deep chocolate scent with new packet looks.

Nicky Mathews (Left) and Mary Mitochi (Right)

Mary Mitochi, BLM’s Director of Health Services responsible for Operations has indicated that the research involved interaction with 800 people whom, 77% were in favour of Manyuchi condoms. However, said they pointed out issues of color, scent and pocket friendly packets as only requests made for change. Mitochi said only sexually active persons and uses condoms were the participants of this research.

She has also expressed hope that people should not expect to deep more in their pockets as a result of this modification, however, Mitochi has acknowledged that a slight change of price might happen as retailers are the ones who determines the prices for condoms.

The modified Manyuchi will be launched this Saturday 11^th September, 2015 at Silver Stadium where among other activities include drama and Live musical performances by Gwamba and Skeffa Chimoto.

Mphwiyo Shooting Case: State Restore Bail Revocation Application For All Suspects…

• The application Was Withdrawn Following Chalunda’s Change of Testimony

• But the state says has reversed the decision to prove its previous claim that suspects in the case have been interfering with and intimidated witnesses

The State prosecuting the case of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder of former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo has made a turn back to a decision that requests Lilongwe High Court to revoke bail for all suspects answering the case.

In March this year following alleged state witness interference and intimidation from some of the accused persons, the state applied for the revocation of bail for all suspects.

But on Thursday morning, the State had withdrawn application to revoke bail for all suspects when a “hostile witness” Charles Chilunda changed his testimony. He told Lilongwe High Court during examination in chief that his audio affidavit claiming threats from some of the defendants was recorded after being forced by the prosecutors to do so.

The audio affidavit was played in court this Thursday, but Chalunda maintained what he said on Wednesday that he has no knowledge of any of the suspects and continued that his affidavits were wrong and he is therefore not a right witness.

However, as the case resumed in the afternoon after an adjournment for lunch break, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mary Kachale told the court that the state has decided to restore the application for the revocation of bail for all suspects. 

Kachale made a prayer to Judge Justice Michael Mtambo that the state application be restored due to the interest of public on the matter and state insistence that its witnesses were interfered with by the accused persons.

In an interview to highlight more on the reversal of the state decision, Mary Kachale said the decision made in the morning of the day was done in a hurried manner. “So we sat down and considered the legal implications of the withdrawal and we knew that it is in the public interest and it is also in the interest of the state that it should be on the record that state has reasonable evidence and has put it before the court that its witnesses were interfered with.”

“This is because had we withdrawn, what it would have meant is that the court would have taken that record completely off. It would have been as if we were saying that actually the state witnesses had not been interfered with. So we did that to demonstrate that the state still is of the position that its witnesses had been interfered with and it should be up to the court to determine” said Kachale

Former Inmate Gets 8 Years for Prison Breaking, Another Gets 7 Years Imprisonmen for Theft in Ntchisi District

The Ntchisi First Grade Magistrate's Court has sentenced Foster Kambalakwa Phiri, aged 24, to eight years imprisonment with hard labour for burglary and theft.

According to Police Public Relations Officer for Ntchisi District Sergeant Gladson M'bumpha says the convict broke into Chikwatula Prison offices where he stole one set of computer and printer, all valued at K300 000 on the night of 28 March, 2014.

The court further heard that the convict committed the crimes after he had just been released from prison where he was serving a similar sentence for similar offences.

Sergeant M'bumpha says  Kambalakwa who comes from Kazonga Village in the area of Traditional Authority Malenga in Ntchisi, pleaded guilty to both charges and in mitigation asked the court for leniency, saying he is also serving another 12 years jail term for theft and burglary.

However, Ntchisi police PRO said when passing judgement, Second Grade Magistrate Young Ng'oma emphasised that the eight year sentence serves as a warning to other would-be offenders.

In a related development, the same court has sentenced a man, Laston Banda, aged 29, of

Chipelera Village, Traditional Authority Malenga in the district, to 7 years imprisonment with hard for burglary and theft.

Banda broke into and stole various items valued at K72 000 from the house of Mekrina Kansengwa on January 17 this year.

Wapona Kita Says His Clients Were "Inhumanly Degraded" BKita says Mphwiyo Suspects Being "Inhumanly Degraded" For Being Walked From Police to Court

• Dauka Manondo and Robert Kadzuwa were walked in handcuffs almost 300 metres from police to court 

• They feel they have been inhuman degraded

Dauka Manondo and Robert Kadzuwa in handcuffs

Meeting a police officer walking a handcuffed suspect to court is not strange among Malawians, but in a surprising way, lawyer, Wapona Kita representing Dauka Manondo and Robert Kadzuwa answering the case of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder of former budget director Paul Mphwiyo, has described an approximately 300 metre walk to court which police had on Wednesday with his two clients currently under police custody as "inhumanly degraded" act by law enforcers.

The lawyer complained before Justice Michael Mtambo who is presiding Mphwiyo shooting case that his clients, Dauka Manondo and Robert Kadzuwa currently in police custody have been "Inhumanly degraded" for being walked from Area 3 Police Station to the High Court which is approximately 300 metre distance.

"My Lord, the two accused persons currently under police custody have been walked from Area 3 Police Station up to here. And the accused therefore feel have been inhumanly degraded by being walked such a distance while in handcuffs. Police have vehicles and were supposed to use them to transport the suspects." He said

In earlier response on the matter by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mary Kachale said this emanated from transportation problem with police.

But after some discussions, the court reached to the compromise that there is no problem to walk Manondo and Kadzuwa from Area 3 Police station as the distance is short but police should make sure that the suspects are taken to court in good time.

Later when the court resumed sitting after a short suspension another problem was raised by the two suspects, Dauka Manondo and Robert Kadzuwa for being brought in the court almost 30 minutes after the court began proceedings yet this time were being kept temporarily  at a suspects waiting shelter just few blocks away from the High Court. 

Seem concerned with the complaint, Justice Mtambo asked DPP to make explanation of the reasons why the two suspects missed part of the court proceedings yet were just few blocks away from the court.  

DPP's explanation was that police at the waiting shelter had man power problem whereby very few police officers were tasked to monitor suspects kept at the shelter and those responsible for taking suspects to courts were not available. 

But Kachale further committed to speak with police officer in charge to make sure that there should be personnel's responsible for taking suspects answering their charges at high court and others responsible for taking suspects answering charges in magistrate court in order to minimise issues similar to what has happened to Dauka Manondo and Robert Kadzuwa.

Mphwiyo Shooting Case: Chalunda's Changing Testimony Forces the State to Use Audio Affidavit On Thursday

• Chalunda has insisted not to make testimony to a case which charged him of perjury

• He denies the suspects he previously claimed had met him before Mphwiyo shooting

The State in the case of Attempted murder and Conspiracy to commit murder of Malawi’s former Budget Director Mr. Paul Mphwiyo has been left with no option but to use audio affidavit recorded from its key witness Charles Chalunda who has completely withdrawn his earlier written affidavits and any evidence told investigators.

State witness, Chalunda who was brought to Lilongwe High Court on Wednesday following a subpoena is denying every statement which was taken by police investigators into the shooting of Paul Mphwiyo saying he sees point to testify to a case which he was convicted and charged of perjury.

The crucial witnesses in the ongoing case of attempted murder of former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo in September 13, 2013 has also denied any knowledge of five suspects being accused of plotting to kill Mphwiyo.

Chalunda is the man who previously confessed to the police investigators that he together with McDonald Kumwembe travelled from Blantyre to Lilongwe on robbery mission, but everything changed when the two, met Oswald Lutepo at Bwandilo market in area 47 in Lilongwe who instructed them to shoot to kill a man named Paul Mphwiyo.

His affidavit taken that time, also indicates that after they were shown a picture of Mphwiyo, and later taken to see his house in Area 43 as well as places he frequents, they failed to execute the mission as one day were spotted by a lead investigator, Kankhwala Chilinda sharing K1 million part of their payment. 

After pulling out from the mission, Chalunda therein also said, few weeks later heard that Paul Mphwiyo had been shot.

However, Charles Chalunda withdrawn the affidavit saying he lied under oath. He also changed that the man who he met at Bwandilo was not Lutepo but Pika Manondo. This led to his conviction and subsequently charged with perjury by court in Zomba.

On Wednesday evening, Chalunda who looked so angry as he stood in the dock, had at the very beginning refused to take plea and said, could not continue making testimony to a case which has already ended him being charged with perjury. He even expressed wonder why the state had taken him from Blantyre to Lilongwe by an army of police officers.

It took several minutes including a 10 minute suspension of the court proceedings and other interventions to make him calm and accept to take an oath which he did after.

Though he took oath, Chalunda denied everything that Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mary Kachale asked him of his knowledge of prior plans and persons in the shooting of Mphwiyo as earlier stated in his affidavit.

Chalunda’s apparent unfriendly mood and responses during cross examination in chief prompted Kachale to make a request to Justice Michael Mtambo to declare the witness as ‘Hostile Witness’. Though the witness answered some questions but insisted that though he signed for two affidavits having different statement but whatever he said was a lie.

The DPP has therefore sought other means of presenting his testimony. This Thursday morning the state is bringing to court an audio affidavit which Chalunda had explained all what had happened pertaining to the shooting of Paul Mphwiyo and intimidation being made by some of the defendants.

Chalunda is one of the state witnesses who also raised an alarm to the investigators claiming that his life is at stake as some of the accused persons are issuing intimidation and had asked for police protection and be transferred to a safe place elsewhere in Mangochi district. 

His claim led the state to make a request though not successful but was asking Justice Michael Mtambo to revoke bail for all five accused persons. Such fears also prompted government to deploy more than 10 armed police officers at the High Court premises every time the case is convened for witness protection.

Two Court Clerks, Watchman Granted Bail On Ivory, Cocaine Theft

The two Court Clerks and one security guard of Mkukula Magistrate court have been arrested on a case bordering on theft by servant contrary to section 286 of the penal code.

The three who appeared before Magistrate his worship Paul Chiotcha of Lilongwe Magistrate Court on Tuesday this week to answer charges of theft, have since been granted bail 

Particulars of the offense are that the three on the night of 30-31March 2015 broke into the office of the exhibit courtroom at Mkukula Court and stole assorted items including 5 trunks of ivory and cocaine which was seizured from different suspects and were tendered in court as evidence, so they were being kept at the court.

The accused, Austine Mbisa aged 29 of Fundi village T/A Kilipula, from Karonga district Chisomo Saukila aged 32 of Sumani village T/A Changata from Thyolo district and the security guard Edwin Kalukusha aged 40 of Kachaso village T/A Kalonga from Salima district have since denied the charge as the state is expected to parade 7 witnesses to prosecute the case.

The bail on conditions for the suspects are to pay a bail bond of K50, 000 each, have two sureties to sign for them and report to Lumbadzi police every fortnight.

The case has since been adjourned to a later date.

Lutepo Likely To Be Acquitted In Mphwiyo Shooting Case...

• Lead Investigator Says Lutepo Was A Mistaken Identity

• The person who named Lutepo changed evidence 

Oswald Lutepo, one of the six suspects in the ongoing case of Attempted Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder of former Budget Director Mr. Paul Mphwiyo is likely to be acquitted by the Lilongwe High Court if what the lead investigator Kankhwala Chilinda told the court Wednesday morning is to go by.

The court was continuing with cross examination of Chilinda a lead investigator in this case and was being questioned of several issues pertaining to how he used every lead in the case immediately after taking up the role of an investigator to find who and what led to the shooting of Paul Mphwiyo on 13th September, 2013.

Immediately, as one of the suspect and self represented lawyer in this case, Raphael Kasambara had finished cross examination with Chilinda, it was time for Oswald Mtupila, lawyer for Oswald Lutepo who has been missing court appearances due to his health condition.

Mtupila went straight to ask Chilinda to confirm his earlier statement that Lutepo was found on Mphwiyo suspects list by a mistake made by as state witness who tipped off the police as they were carrying out investigations.

Chilinda confirmed before Lilongwe High court that Lutepo was a mistaken identity as it was confirmed by Charles Chalunda a state witness who was later convicted and charged of perjury by Zomba court in a same case.

"You investigated the case and you are telling the court that the person who informed you, about Oswald Lutepo later informed police that he made a mistake to mention Mr. Lutepo's name in the first place. And corrected that the right name was Pika Manondo, so there is no any other evidence apart from the one told you. Is that right?" asked Mtupila and got "Yes" reply from Chilinda.

Then, Mtupila made a prayer to Judge Justice Michael Mtambo that since there is no evidence against Mr. Lutepo's involvement in the Mphwiyo shooting, there is no purpose for Mr. Lutepo to be included in the case, therefore his client be extracted from the charge sheet.

However, justice Mtambo said Mtupila's request would be considered during the time when parties in the case will be making submissions on case to answer or not.

Earlier, Kankwala Chilinda said as an investigator did not consider sentiments made by former president Dr. Joyce Banda in Lunzu, Blantyre of her knowledge of persons who shot Mphwiyo a right lead to trace who carried out the shooting.

When Chilinda was asked by Kasambara reasons why the investigator had skipped authentic evidence publicly made by the "clean source who happened to be Commander In Chief of Malawi Police" at Lunzu, Chilinda said former president remarks were considered as not a right lead on Mphwiyo shooting incident because such remarks were made by a person who always gets information from police officers.