Blantyre City South East legislator Sameer Suleman (Democratic Progressive Party-DPP) yesterday handed himself to Blantyre Police Station following a warrant of arrest that the Blantyre Magistrate’s Court issued against him.
National Police deputy spokesperson Harry Namwaza said in an interview that Suleman, who is also Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture chairperson, turned himself in to the police around 2pm.
However, he declined to divulge more details, saying police just followed instructions from court to arrest him.
“We were just complying with the court order. But we can confirm that the honourable handed himself in at Blantyre Police Station. So, tomorrow [today] we will take him to court where the directive to arrest him came from,” said Namwaza.
But, according to the warrant of arrest we have seen, Suleman is linked with the alleged social media defamatory statements made against Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda, Minister of Mining Ken Zikhale Ng’oma and Lilongwe South East legislator Baba Steven Malondera.
He is expected to answer a libel type of defamation charge.
“Sameer Suleman between the months of December 2024 and January 2025 in the Republic of Malawi made and posted a statement on the social media platform that is defamatory to Honourable Richard Chimwendo Banda, Baba Malondera and Kenneth Zikhale N’goma,” reads particulars of the offence.
DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba was not available for comment.
Suleman’s arrest came a few hours after police in Lilongwe also arrested five former senior government officials in the DPP administration in connection with alleged misappropriation of funds at the Greenbelt Authority through Salima Sugar Company Limited.
The five are former Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha, former presidential economic adviser Collins Magalasi, former Secretary to the President and Cabinet Lloyd Muhara, former secretary to the Treasury Cliff Chiunda and former Greenbelt Authority Company secretary Jimmy Grey Kusamale.
They are accused of defrauding the government of $274 500 000 (about K447.5 billion).
