Police Nets 52 In Salima, Ntchisi, 2 Vendors Sentenced Over Alcohol In Sachets

Malawi Police Service Vehicle and Police Officer

Police in the districts of Salima and Ntchisi have intensified security through sweeping exercises being carried out day and night in order to arrests criminals.

Police in Salima on Wednesday night arrested 33 people as one way of making Salima district a go-zone area says the Police Public Relations Officer in the district, Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe.

“The police have intensified day and night patrols which have seen a lot of suspects being netted. This is being done to make Salima a safe and secure district.” Said Chitowe while confirming the arrests

He said on 23rd September police managed to arrest 16 women who were earning their living on prostitution, 12 men for Rogue and Vagabond and the remaining 5 people, for illegal (unregistered) bicycle hire operations. All will appear in court soon to answer the stated charges, he said

Malawi Police Officers intensify security

Meanwhile, Police in Ntchisi district says, at least 19 people are expected to start appearing before Ntchisi First Grade Magistrate's Court following their arrests during a sweeping exercise police conducted during the night of Wednesday this week.

“The sweeping exercise led by Ntchisi Police operations officer Inspector Keston Madela was conducted at Ntchisi Trading Centre.” Said the district Police Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Gladson M’bumpha

“Following the sweeping exercise, 19 people were arrested during the exercise after being found at the trading centre on the same night and have been charged with the offense of Rogue and Vagabond.”

M’bumpha says the suspects have already been questioned by police and are expected to appear before court soon.

In the same district of Ntchisi, Second Grade Magistrate Court has ordered two men to pay a fine of K40,000 each or in default serve a twelve-month jail term for being found selling liquor without a license.

The two, Masa Makina aged 29, from Kabwazi village of Traditional Authority Njolomole in Ntcheu and Chipiliro Kachigunda aged 37, from Zionetsa village of Traditional Authority Malenga in Ntchisi, were on September 3rd of this year, found selling liquor without a license.

According to Sergeant M’bumpha, two were arrested during sweeping exercise at Ntchisi Trading Centre after they were found selling liquor in sachets and had their cartoons of beer seized.

Lilongwe TNM Customers Gets Business Starter From TNM Tikolore Promo

Madalitso Jonazi presenting Tricycle to previous winner

Three TNM customers from Capital City, Lilongwe will become possible millionaires after winning Tricycle each, from the promotion dubbed 'Tikolore' being run by the Malawi's leading mobile company.

The three winners, Haswell Banda, Amidu Bwanali, and Kafelapangira Chunga received their prizes from TNM at a presentation ceremony held on Thursday at area 49 Zebra in Lilongwe.

Through the promotion TNM is giving out four Tricycles (mini vehicle with three wheels) to four lucky customers every month as the main random prize in the promotion. There are 4 more mini vehicles to be won and other prizes are sprayers, fertilizer and other farming tools.

“I have got a very big plan for this tricycle which at the end will make my dream come true." says Kafelapangila Chunga a teacher at St. Gallen Private School in Lilongwe,

"I want to do a taxi business using this Tricycle and the money will be used to pay for my education because I desperately need money to proceed with my education” he said

Another winner, Amindu Bwanali said; “Am happy that I have won this Tricycle because I have never thought I can be one of the winnersa and at first I thought it was a joke when TNM contacted me to inform that I have won. He said, 

"This prize will help my family, and relatives because I will use this Tricycle for taxi business.”

Tikolore Promotion aims to celebrate the harvest season and help Malawians prepare for the coming farming season

Speaking in an interview after presenting the three prizes, TNM’s Commercial Manager, Chimwemwe Mganga expressed the companies grattitude for overwheling support it gets from subscribers since the begining of the promotion on 1^st May.

"We were supposed to end the promotion on 31^st of July but due to overwhelming response we extended this promotion to August but after being overwhelmed again, we extended again to this month of September 30^th. Said Mganga who also indicated that the promotion continues to attract an increased response from customers and that there has been subscriber base increment.

With one more draw ahead, before winding up the promotion, Mganga encouraged customers to continue participating in the promotion and win the prizes that are designed to reward customers with farming inputs as they prepare for the next farming season.

To date TNM has given out bags of fertilizers, sprayers and farming tools to over 1200 customers, 400 customers have won 2 bags each, 400 customers have won sprayers and the other 400 have won 400 sets of farming tools.

During the seventeenth draw TNM splashed out 100 bags of fertilisers to 50 luky customer, sprayers to 50 people and other 50 customers walked away with farming tools. In addition to the main prizes, TNM subscribers also stand a chance to earn 50% bonus on their daily airtime recharges during the promotion.

To enter the promotion subscribers are only required to top up their phone with a minimum of K50.

The promotion ends on 30th September 2015 and only prepaid customers are eligible to enter. 

Cashgate Case: Savala Looking For Kasambara Replacement

Savala hunting for Kasambara replacement

The cashgate convict Caroline Savala has been left with no option but to look for a lawyer who can take up her case currently on mitigation stage.

This follows bail revocation to her Lawyer Raphael Kasambara by Lilongwe High Court on Wednesday morning. Kasambara found with case to answer on conspiracy in the attempted murder of former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo has had his bail revoked after the High Court noted that he was not cooperative and has been breaching bail conditions.

During Wednesday sitting before Justice Fiona Mwale court, Savala who was vonvicted after full trial for money laundering to a tune of K84 million, has been asked to find another Lawyer who will represent her on 21st of October 2015 since her lawyer has now been taken into custody.

Kamudoni  Nyasulu

“What remains is if she finds a lawyer then they will close their plea mitigation, then the court will pass sentence” explains Kamudoni Nyasulu who is prosecuting the case

Caroline Savala is expected to parade two character witnesses; convict Leonard Kalonga and a Pastor

However Nyasulu did not hide to express his disappointment over delays in the case “This trial has taken a long time, we started in February 2014 and Prosecution closed its case in April 2014 but we are still struggling to finish.” He said

The court sat in the afternoon after morning adjournment as the defense lawyer, Raphael Kasambara was at that time not present for he was also attending to his trial in the court of Justice Michael Mtambo.

Last sitting of the present case, Savala was represented by emissary lawyer (agent) Tisilira Kaphamtengo as Kasambara was reportedly ill, suffering from high blood pressure. During that day, the agent lawyer did not cross examined Savala by admitting that he knows nothing about the case and applied that the convict be allowed to remain silent to questions that may incriminate herself.

Obstetric Fistula Repair Camp At Bwaila Hospital

• women having the condition encouraged to come for repair
• The operation to be done at no cost

Bwaila Fistula Care Centre

The Bwaila Fistula Care Centre, this year's host of UNFPA Fistula Camp has urged women having Obstetric Fistula condition to come for operation during the camp period starting on 27th September.

Fistula camps are held to allow more women having the condition to get repaired in a specified period by number of surgeons who fly in the country to support resident surgeons and clinical officers.

“We are hosting this year’s UNFPA camp and we are ready" confirmed National Coordinator for Freedom from Fistula Foundation, Margaret Moyo, and also confirmed that with assistance from UNFPA "Surgeons are coming from outside Malawi and we already have our own resident surgeons and clinical officers to do fistula operations.”

Moyo explains that, for the first two weeks of the camp, the operations will be done at Bwaila Hospital in Fistula Care Centre found in Lilongwe just behind the Minibus depot.

While encouraging women having the problem to come for repair operation, Moyo says the operation is free.

She has since appealed to all people of good will to inform and encourage women living with the condition to hurry for the opportunity.

She also encouraged women with the condition to go to their nearest hospitals for screaning their condition and to Bwaila Fistula Centre for operation.

These camps are sponsored by UNFPA have previously been conducted at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre and in Mangochi. This year Bwaila Fistula Care Centre expects to repair not less than 100 women.



Obstetric Fistula is an abnormal connection between the bladder and or the rectum and the vagina which result in the continuous leakage of urine and or feaces  through the vagina following obstructed labour.




Figures shows many women die in the process, up to 4.1% of maternal death is attributed to prolonged obstructed labour  in Malawi. If the mother survived it is usually the prize of a dead baby and an obstetric fistula with its social consequences.



Anecdotal evidence reveals Obstetric Fistula prevalence in Malawi is estimated to 20 thousand women living with fistula and this means it is a big problem.

Mphwiyo Shooting Case: Kumwembe Says Can’t Miss Target, Asks Judge To Try His Ability In Court

Kumwembe I cant miss my target 

McDonald Kumwembe, suspected shooter in the attempted murder trial of Paul Mphwiyo has told the court that he could have at a 5 metre range, shoot to kill Paul Mphwiyo if he were hired for the job.

Kumwembe was speaking on Wednesday court sitting during his defense in the case he is answering of attempted and conspiracy to murder former budget director Paul Mphwiyo on September 13th 2013.

When entering his defense, the former Malawi Defense Force officer Kumwembe who maintained to deny to have shot Paul Mphwiyo, said him as a well trained soldier and man who worked as a military officer for a very long time could not miss the target at a range of 5 metres as it was the case in Mphwiyo shooting.

“I have worked in Malawi Defense Force for so many years. As it was said by the victim that he was shot at a range of 5 metres, surely if I could be the one shooting, then I could not miss him” said Kumwembe while alleging that the person who pulled the trigger might have been a novice, and further denied his involvement in an enterprise to kill Mphwiyo.

“If you can allow me to have a gun and show a target here in court, I will not miss” challenged Kumwembe

But Judge Michael Mtambo quickly reacted by interrupting him in a joking way saying “We cannot take that risk!” and the whole court was laughing.

Kumwembe

Kumwembe also said, in a situation happened at the time of shooting, it could not happen as testified by the victim that him had a mask on his face while his accomplice Pika had nothing to shield his face.

Meanwhile, his cross examination has been adjourned to dates from 13th to 16th October 2015

Earlier, Kumwembe accused the victim Paul Mphwiyo and an investigator of the present case Kankhwala Chilinda of lying under oath and bringing false evidence against him in the court as he narrates how he became friends of the two and later Pika Manondo.

He said he became friends with Mpwiyo way back in 1999 when him was in Zomba working with MDF as Investigator while Mphwiyo was a Personal Assistant of late Dumbo Lemani and that they had also been meeting in several places. 

But he has accused Mphwiyo of telling the court lies that he does not know him. He revealed that it was Paul who introduced him to Pika Manondo after the two had discussed on a business plan they can do to former ruling party Peoples Party (PP).

He said after their discussion he met Pika at Andiamo in Balaka where former president Joyce Banda was welcoming new members of the party. He said while there, Pika told him that he can work for the party as an Intelligence officer for the party.

Then he quashed almost every evidence brought in the court by Chilinda adding that all allegations against him are based on an altercation they had some years back.

He explained that while based in Zomba working as intelligence officer, he reported to Chilinda bosses on information that Chilinda (working as CID officer in the same district) was lending out his firearm to some criminals. Kumwembe then said, Chilinda was furious and at one point told him that he will one day do revenge.

Kumwembe emphasized that it was obvious that Chilinda brought in the court false evidence against him of being involved in a robbery case which took place in Machinga, and spotting him at Bwandilo on 30th August 2013 the day he (Kumwembe) said left the country for Mozambique. 

The accused person further told court that Chilinda also tendered a false bus ticket allegedly indicating that the accused had traveled to Lilongwe days before Mphwiyo was shot. While showing the document to the court, Kumwembe said the ticket was only indicating the date of 30th August without specifying the year and particulars of the owner of the ticket.

Furthermore, the accused person also questioned Chilinda motive of brining in the court, a gun which had no bearing of fingerprints or any evidence that it was used by him in the shooting.

“By bringing that gun here, what exactly did Mr. Chilinda tried to portray my image to the public and reporters here in court?” asked Kumwembe

Kumwembe said it was apparent that following their past clash, nothing would have stopped Chilinda from fabricating evidence against him and further accused the investigator of doing try and error sort of investigations in the present case.

Cross Examination 

During Cross examination done by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mary Kachale, Kumwembe was so defensive in his responses and was in several occasions answering questions in a form of a question back to the DPP. 

At one point the Judge counseled him to be serious “This is a serious business Mr. Kumwembe” said the Judge when he responded to the question from DPP of why he is so famous in the township of Ndirande in Blantyre by asking: “How could I be so famous in Ndirande? If were famous then don’t you think I could have been a parliamentarian for the area?”

DPP also centred her questions around the alleged travel to Mozambique in 2013 during the period Mphwiyo was shot. Kumwembe said he left his cell phone simcard to his brother currently living in South Africa to make contacts with persons he was doing businesses with.

However, his phone call logs at that period were indicated that the sim was being used by the said cousin in almost all places that Kumwembe used to go including at Bvumbwe Township where Kumwembe girlfriend lived and could be in a call with the girlfriend for over 20 minutes.

But Kumwembe response was that he could not control such situation and also said he could not remember any place he stayed in three separate trips he travelled to Mozambique.

McDonald Kumwembe is a first accused person in the case of attempted and conspiracy to murder Malawi’s former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo at the gate of his house in Area 43.

Kumwembe who was identified as a shooter was found with case to answer on conspiracy and attempted murder together with second accused person Pika Manondo. The third accused who is a practicing lawyer and former Justice Minister and Attorney General, Raphael Kasambara was found with case to answer on conspiracy. 

The shooting of Mphwiyo was the genesis of numerous arrests on calculated theft of government money at Capital Hill.

Mphwiyo Shooting Case: Kasambara Bail Revoked For Breach Of Bail Condition

Kasambara on police escort 

High Court Judge Michael Mtambo revokes bail of Raphael Kasambara suspect in the Paul Mphwiyo attempted murder for failure to comply with the court bail conditions. 

His bail has been revoked of his conduct, infringement of privacy of the Judicial Officers by sourcing private documents especially of presiding judge Michael Mtambo and judge who recused her self in the case Justice Esme Chombo. The bail has also been revoked after the court also established that in his conduct, Kasambara had also infringed security of the Judicial officers. 

Kasambara walking to police vehicke 

Kasambara looked relaxed as he walked for
Maula prison 

The revocation follows Judge Michael Mtambo order that parties should submit on whether the court can of its own motion review the bail status Kasambara on failure to comply with the court bail conditions after it was learnt that McDonald Kumwembe the first accused had admitted to the court that Kasambara helped him to identify the CV which he alleged to have received from a well wisher.

He was on heavy police escort 

He was talking to reporters and police officers 

In the application of motion by first accused, McDonald Kumwembe seeking judge recusal, attached two letters: one which was found to be contemptuous and another letter which he alleged to be the CV of the presiding Judge. He told the court that after accessing the CV he took it to Raphael Kasambara who laughed upon seeing it and then confirmed to him that it belonged to the presiding Judge. The application also claimed that Judge Michael Mtambo requested for more security after delivering his ruling on whether the accused persons had case to answer or not. 

His bail revocation attracted alot of attention 

In his ruling, the Judge agreed with the state application that there was sufficient evidence to revoke bail of Kasambara. 

The Judge said it was apparent that Kasambara aided Kumwembe in several occasions on matters relating to the present case including filing of application for judge recusal looking at how Kumwembe had displayed in several occasions his ignorance of contents of the letter. During cross examination of his application, Kumwembe seemed to have difficulties to understand contents of his well written application by opting to have a court translator, failure to describe who Robin Hood was and to give meaning of Kangaroo Court cited in his application. 

The Judge further indicated that Kasambara had the possession of the alleged CV earlier on because he was the first to mention the alleged CV in court before Kumwembe had applied for Judge recusal. 

"The third accused (Kasambara) did not show cooperation after the ruling of case to answer was made" added the judge who further indicated that his earlier applications for judge recusal for presiding judge was delaying the case. 

After bail revocation ruling, the Judge also refused application by Kasambara that the revocation be Stayed up to Friday this week because he was required to attend to private matters on Thursday. 

But the judge argued that there was nothing cited of reasons for Stay of the bail revocation order: "The order of bail revocation remains intact" said the judge 

However, the judge has turned down state application to revoke bail of Kumwembe since he is already in police custody after his application letter was ruled contempt of court

Raphael Kasambara was found with case to answer on conspiracy to murder former budget director Paul Mphwiyo while McDonald Kumwembe and Pika Manondo were found with case to answer on attempted murder and conspiracy.

Cashgate Case: Kalonga Lawyers File Sentence Submissions On 1st October

The High Court in Lilongwe has directed parties in the Cashgate case of Leonard Kalonga to make submissions of the sentencing by the first weeks of October.

The Prosecution and Defense were back in court on Tuesday to hear directive of the court on how both parties may proceed with the case following adjournment of the case on 26th August 2015.

Reyneck Matemba 

Deputy Director General of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Reyneck Matemba, said in an interview that during the sitting which lasted few minutes, Court directed that the Defense should file their submission on sentencing by 1st October 2015 and the state is expected to respond by 12 October 2015

"The court has directed that by 1st of October 2015, the defense should file their sentence submission. While us, the state have been asked to file our submission on sentencing by 12 October 2015." He confirmed

"After making our submissions to the court, we will wait to hear from the court on date of when to do oral submissions" Matemba explains

The ACB Deputy Director, also indicated that then, the court will make its directive of when it will pass the sentence.

Former Chief of Tourism, Leonard Kalonga was found guilty and convicted of conspiracy to defraud government using forged documents and paid the money to bogus suppliers. Other charges includes money laundering of K520 million where he facilitated, a baited and aided acquisition of 6 Marcopolo Scania buses of Paul Mphwiyo and Money laundering which were proceeds of serious crime between April and September 2013 with other persons to a tune of K3, 252, 225 billion.

Kalonga pleaded guilty to all charges and made revelation that he recruited 17 companies to steal from government.

In his voluntary confession statement, Kalonga implicated former President Dr. Joyce Banda as person who instigated the scam for she wanted to use the money for 2014 General Election Campaign.