HRDC alleges threats, intimidation from investor

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has alleged that its membership is receiving threats from an Indian investor Chandra More.

A statement signed by HRDC chairperson Gift Trapence and national coordinator Luke Tembo on Thursday alleged that the investor has been intimidating the groups executive members and that he is being helped by some government officials to facilitate his return.

Reads the statement in part: “In some of his messages and phone calls, including to HRDC chairperson Gift Trapence, More says there are big official people in the Tonse administration who know his issues and are helping him to return to Malawi.”

More was reported to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) by HRDC executive member Billy Mayaya on December 23 2020, who alleged that the investor called him to facilitate a reversal of his (More’s) immigration status following his deportation from the country.

In the letter addressed to then ACB director general ReynecK Matemba, Mayaya alleged that More sent him a WhatsApp text message on December 22 2020 seeking to be connected to Minister of Homeland Security Richard Chimwendo Banda, who would in turn reverse his deportation status.

He further alleged that More offered a K60 million bribe to him and Chimwendo that would be shared equally between them.

HRDC’s statement yesterday, therefore, urged the ACB to speed up their investigation on the investor in the context of Mayaya’s complaint.

More did not respond to our inquiries both on his WhatsApp mobile number and Facebook account since Thursday despite an indication that the messages were delivered.

In a telephone interview, Trapence said they are yet to officially lodge a complaint to both the ACB and police on the matter.

He said: “Sometime we have been getting the threats through text messages and at some point he (More) has been trying to call. So we decided to issue the statement for transparency and we will also report the matter. But we know that the threats have been coming because of the bribery issue that Mayaya reported to the ACB.”

Trapence further said the bureau must ensure that the alleged bribery attempts that Mayaya reported must be investigated with the utmost urgency it deserves.

But while ACB principal public relations officer Egrita Ndala could not be reached yesterday, she is on record as having told The Nation on February 3 2021 that the bureau was yet to launch an investigation into the matter.

Ndala attributed the delays to begin the investigation to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying it has affected their work routine.

She said: “Note the bureau, too, is observing Covid-19 preventive guidelines which, among other things, include working in shifts. This is affecting the normal way of operating.”

However, at the time, Ndala said Mayaya’s complaint was being processed by the bureau.