28 Ethiopians Sentenced To 1 Month Imprisonment: To Face Deportation At the End Of Jail Term

28 Ethiopians have been sentenced to a month imprisonment and later face deportation for illegal entry. 

The Ethiopian nationals whose their ages ranges 19 and 29 were arrested last week according to Dowa Police Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Richard Kaponda.

The Dowa First Grade Magistrate Court heard from Police Prosecutor Sergeant Gerald Kizombe that the 28 Ethiopian nationals entered Malawi illegally with aid from unknown persons currently at large. Sgt Kizombe further told the court that the immigrants were found at Dzaleka Refugee Camp when members of the general public had tipped-off the police of the suspicious arrival of the immigrants at the camp.

Kizombe then prayed for stiffer penalty to deter the would be offenders since cases of illegal entry by foreigners is on the increase. 

First Grade Magistrate Imrani Phiri then sentenced the illegal immigrants to one month in jail and that at the end of their jail term government should deport them.

Meanwhile, Dowa Police Public Relations Officer Sergeant Richard Kaponda said police are looking for the individuals who aided these 28 Ethiopians to enter the country. Sgt Kaponda said once the culprits are found, they will answer charges of aiding illegal entry.

Cases of illegal entry by Ethiopians are on the increase in Malawi. In police in the district of Dowa alone, have arrested over 71 Ethiopian nationals on similar offence. 

In January, Dowa First Grade magistrate Court sentenced 71 Ethiopian nationals to serve 3 months imprisonment with hard labour and that after their jail term government should deport them all. The court also fined them K5, 000 each.

Students Media Group Brings Miss Lilongwe 2015

Some of Miss Lilongwe 2015 beauty pageant

The Capital City, Lilongwe is choosing its Queen this month of April 2015. The Student Media Group has announced.

Miss Lilongwe is to be crowned on 24th April 2015 at Crossroads Hotel by her Excellency Madam Getrude Muntharika says Students Media Group Events Manager, Tamara Bongah.

Eight young beautiful girls are competitors for Miss Lilongwe where the first Prize is worth K300 thousand to be given right away and the winner shall have an office for a period of 12 months.  

The events manager said, the group is coming up with annual Miss Lilongwe Beauty Contest in order to encourage, promote skills and talents such as modeling among girls as a their life time career in addition to youth empowerment through job creation, business network and bridge the current existing gaps between the youth, the cooperate world, the community and the government.

Bongah has emphasized that this years winners office shall therefore be a youth link between the corporate world, the community and the world at large through partnerships and engagements.

Taonga Bongah

“Unlike the past trends, the new Miss Lilongwe will not only be involved in charity work but will also be the ambassador and initiator of many projects such as; youth empowerment, health and sanitation, market our tourism sector as well as being the youth ambassador for the Go Green campaign. In collaboration with the 1st and 2nd princess, the winner will have an office that will be open for all stakeholders to work with her in real projects that should change and positively impact all our communities for a term of 12 months. Explained Tamara Bongah

Added Bongah In respect to our organization, we will work hand in glove with the winner in order to make sure that all the plans, objectives and goals of the Miss Lilongwe office are accomplished. 

The student group which is geared to up-hold the livelihood of young girls in the lime light of youth empowerment and unlocking opportunities for a girl child says takes inspiration from the project set a cross by her Excellency Madam Getrude Muntharika.

Miss Lilongwe 2015 Competitors 

Unabated, we come to the rescue of young beautiful, uneducated, unemployed, and un-inspired young ladies. The Student Media Group, leans on the reality that without beauty we excel into a future that does not recognize Lilongwes beauty as championed by her Excellency said Bongah

Tickets for Miss Lilongwe Beauty Pageant being sold at K4500 single, K7500 double, and K95000 for a corporate table are available at Crossroads Hotel, City Mall Supermarket, GY Imports and Exports and the Student Media Group team. 

The event shall also be mesmerized by music performances by among others; The Great Angels Choir, Dan Lu, Gwamba and Janta.

Four Men Hijack Haven Car Hire's Toyota Fortuna... Ntcheu Police Launch Man Hunt

Police in Ntcheu District are hunting for four unknown men who hijacked a Toyota Fortuna, vehicle belonging to Haven Car Hire.

The vehicle white in color with Registration number MC 28 has been hijacked from its driver Friday night says Ntcheu Police.

According to Sergeant Hastings Chigalu a Ntcheu Police Deputy Public Relations Officer, the driver identified as Sydney Kagwira was on his way from Lilongwe to Zomba where the vehicle was to be used by another car hire company, Mame Car Hire.

Sgt Chagalu however, said the driver on his way to Zomba, offered a lift to four unknown men at Mathanki bus stage in Biwi, Lilongwe. The police officer said the Haven's car hire Chauffeur was convinced by the the four to have been on two separate journey when they told him that each pair were going to Ntcheu district and Balaka district respectively.

But, Ntcheu Police PRO said the four launched attack at a place called Mapila along M1 road almost 2 Kilometre from Lizulu going to Ntcheu.

Sgt Chigalu said the four passengers, tied and put the driver at the back of the vehicle before dumping him somewhere near Lizulu Police but was left unharmed.

Police have since arrested the driver for further questioning particularly on finding out if he connived with the robbers.

Sgt Chigalu has since urged drivers to refrain from offering lift to unknown men particularly at Biwi, Mathanki bus stage because there are many similar reported cases of drivers being attacked by passengers offered lift from that place.

The driver, Sydney Kagwira comes from Kapesi village of T/A Kachere in Dedza district.

BLM Plans National Wide Sensitisation As It Launch Manyuchi Rebranded Condoms

Mary Mitochi

Banja La Mtsogolo (BLM) has assured Malawians that it will embark on national wide sensitization messages on the rebranded Manyuchi Condoms after the launching ceremony this Saturday 11th April at Silver Stadium in Area 47 in Lilongwe.

BLM's Director for Health Services Responsible for Operations, Mary Mitochi said in an interview that there is need for people across the country to understand modifications made to Manyuchi condoms and how important they are in the prevention of pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s).

Manyuchi condom new look

“We have planned lots of activities on Saturday including; poems, drama and music where Skeffa and Gwamba will be entertaining fans”

“But there, we want to give people the right information.” She said, “We want people to know what the rebranded Manyuchi is all about.”

“And we are not stopping there, we are touring the whole country from Chitipa to Nsanje just explaining what Manyuchi is, so that people who don’t come on Saturday have also a chance to listen to what this modified Maanyuchi condoms is all about.” Narrated Mitochi

Mary Mitochi further assured that as the sensitization messages will be ongoing, also before end of this year people will “be equally surprised” as BLM has so much more wrapped up waiting to give to Malawian nation.

Introduction of Manyuchi condom brand, is part of BLM’s Contraceptive Social Marketing Programe (CSM) project started in August 2004 to increase access to modern family planning services to the Malawi population aside BLM’s static clinic and outreach channels.

Manyuchi targets up market middle income consumers who find international condom brands to be too expensive but don’t want to use free condoms or condoms that are perceived cheep.

Mphwiyo Shooting Case: Court Sets April 28 Day To Determine If Suspects Have Case To Answer Or Not

• Judge Tips State To Prepare Incase  Someone Has A Case To Answer 
• Oral submissions on 21 April 

The state in the case of shooting of former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo has reached to a conclusion of parading its witnesses on Friday. The court which judge Justice Michael Mtambo is presiding the case has already set dates for submissions on case to answer or no case to answer and ruling on the same.

The court has set on 21st April, 2015 as date which all parties are to make their submissions on whether the six accused persons have a case to answer or not.

On 27th April, 2015 the court will convene to hear oral submissions and the following day on 28th April, 2015 the judge will make the ruling of whether to discontinue the case if no one found guilty or if there is a suspect or all suspect have case to answer.

The Judge has already tipped the state to get prepared now in case someone would have a case to answer. Judge Michael Mtambo said this would help the court not to be delayed but to begin trials immediately after the ruling is made. 

Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned to 27th April 2015 where all parties shall make oral submissions.

Mphwiyo Shooting Case; Defense Critic Airtel Call Logs

The defense team in the ongoing attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder of Malawi's former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo have on Friday tried to explore loopholes  in the call logs brought by the three telecommunication savvy from Airtel Malawi. 

Starting on Thursday, three Airtel experts were analysing call logs made by suspects prior and after the shooting of Paul Mphwiyo in September 13, 2013 as he was trying to enter the gate of his house in Area 43.

Though, accused and self represented lawyer Raphael Kasambara had no question to ask Airtel experts, other three lawyers tried hard find out the validity of these call logs.

Oswald Lutepo's lawyer, Oswald Mtupila asked of possibility of editing the the call logs in the system. One of the expert said it is impossible to edit call records in the system but editing can be done once one gets the information from the system and tries to edit the document outside the system, but maintained that the system information remains intact.

John Gift Mwakhwawa representing McDonald Kumwembe asked in relation to the information which Kumwembe claimed of being outside the country at the time when the shooting took place. Kumwembe said he was in Mozambique and used Dedza boarder when going out and coming in of the country.

Mkwakhwawa asked if the  mobile telecommunication provider, Airtel could trace Kumwembe if in Mozambique had used a number which is not of Airtel network  and received a "no" reply. He then asked if it was possible for the mobile operator could trace network location of Kumwembe in Mozambique if her wife had called him using husband mobile phone number while at Dedza waiting to welcome him. But the Airtel experts said it was impossible to locate Kumbwembe.

Mwakhwawa questions came following the revelations that Kumwembe according to call logs, was in Malawi even the night Paul Mphwiyo was shot. Last month an immigration officer from Dedza boarder, Griffin Tembo also brought in the court a testimony that Kumwembe passport documents were not clear if he ever crossed the boarder as some very important details were missing in his travel documents.

However, Wapona Kita representing Pika and his brother Dauka Manondo and Robert Kadzuwa asked had asked several questions including possibility if the network towers can overlap. And the experts acknowledged that such, happens some times.

Later an affidavit from the Ballistic expert, Senior Superintendent S. B. Msambira was tendered in court. He brought three 9 millimetre empty cartridges found on the Mphwiyo shooting scene and there was a pistol in the plastic bag.

Airtel Experts Analyzing Communication Web Of Mphwiyo Shooting Suspects

• Three Airtel Experts Appears in Lilongwe High Court for Call logs
• They are identifying exact locations where the suspects were communicating and phone numbers used

Three telecommunication savvy’s from Airtel Malawi were in Lilongwe High Court starting on Thursday to interpret call logs presented previously by one of the lead investigator Kankhwala Chilinda in attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder of the former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo.

The three officials expected to continue their examination in chief this Friday, were explaining how the system identify network tower being used and recognize the subject making call or receiving a call.

Among others, they were revealing places where the suspects might have been when they were making their communication prior to the shooting of Paul Mphwiyo and after he was shot.

From the call logs which have different phone numbers of Mphwiyo shooting suspects and phone serial numbers, are indicating how some suspects were communicating from various places and exact dates and time including the length of the call. The call logs are also indicating that some suspects prior to Mphwiyo shooting began their communication even from Bvumbwe tower in the southern region, some places in Blantyre, Namadzi in Zomba, in Dedza Central region and some places around Lilongwe and at Bwandilo market in area 47.

One call log traces moving subject from Bvumbwe in constant contacts with a person in Lilongwe and the following day such persons called each other using one network tower located at Bwandilo in Lilongwe.

Other call logs dated between 12^th and 13^th September 2013, the further indicates that such suspects had communication using network towers of city centre, Capital Hill tower and Area 43 network tower.

However, it was explained that there are no machines that record conversations of individuals which could be used to listen to what the said numbers were trying to communicate at that time.

After examination in chief finishes this Friday, the defense is expected to begin and possibly finish with their cross examination on the same day.

Airtel experts are part of state witnesses because are the people who originated the call log documents therefore are in better place to tender the documents in court to show that they released actual documents and are the ones who originated the documents. Though Airtel had given such documents to the police but criminal law would not allow police to tender such evidence to prevent issues of forgery and tampering.