DD Sunshine player quizzed by police
Controversy surrounds the alleged interrogation of DD Sunshine footballer Fanny Mwale by Lilongwe Area 3 police last Sunday, reportedly over her snubbing of Airtel Rising Stars football clinic trip to Tanzania.
DD Sunshine director David Dube claimed on Friday that police summoned the 17-year-old SOS Secondary School student on instruction from Malawi Schools Sports Association (Massa) officials.
Mwale refused Massa’s offer to make the Malawi four-member trip to Tanzania, claiming she was unhappy that some Massa official seized some assorted prizes which Airtel gave her as rewards for her similar trip of 2012. Mwale opted to honour DD Sunshine fixtures instead.
“Last Sunday, when she got home at SOS, two police officers in uniform picked and handcuffed her and brought her to Area 3 Police Station for questioning as to why she did not go to Tanzania on Airtel Rising Star Programme,” Dube claimed through e-mail.
“After telling the two policemen that she did not go to Tanzania because Massa officials stole her equipment that was given to her by Airtel last year, the two policemen decided to drop her home and told her that they would come again, it’s not yet over.”
Dube challenged the grounds on which the police questioned the girl, saying this was harassment because refusing a trip is not a crime.
Area 3 police officers referred questions pertaining to the matter to their spokesperson Ramsey Mushani.
“Doesn’t Fanny Mwale got freedom to choose what she wants and make her own decision on her undertakings ? This is a big shame on these Massa officials and the two policemen. They have to be exposed for exploiting and abusing school children like Fanny Mwale,” Dube said.
But Massa vice-president Severia Chalira on Monday said she was not aware of Massa’s involvement in the issue as Mwale told her that she was taken to police by Airtel officials.
“She was not even handcuffed as Mr. Dube claims. She actually sought permission from her school that she wanted to travel to Tanzania and she ended up going to play for DD Sunshine,” explained Chalira who is also National Women Football Committee (NWFC) chairperson.
“I do not know if Massa was involved, but she told me that the police questioned her in the presence of Airtel officials. I asked her why she did not tell Airtel that she was not interested in going to Tanzania and from her explaining, it seems it is all about being childish. It would seem Mr. Dube pushed the girl to make this decision, which is unfortunate. We appreciate that he is building a team, but that is not the way to do it.”
Mushani, who is Lilogwe Police public relations officer, yesterday said he has for over a week failed to trace a docket of Mwale’s interrogation at Area 3, let alone the officers who were involved.
He promised to revert to The Nation later whereas Airtel public relations manager Edith Tsilizani referred the newspaper to another official who could not be reached.
