Malawi police explain Lutepo’s free-pass at KIA
The Malawi Police Service (MPS) said on Thursday businessperson Oswald Lutepo was not arrested on arrival at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in Lilongwe because police knew the suspect would hand himself over.
Lutepo is connected to the Capital Hill cash-gate and was abroad when the scandal was exposed, raising speculation that he might have been on the run.
The businessperson was put on the International Police (Interpol) wanted-list. However, many Malawians were surprised on Wednesday to learn that despite his listing, Lutepo freely passed through Immigration checkpoints at KIA and presumably other airports on his way home.
MPS deputy national spokesperson Kelvin Maigwa said on Thursday he did not know why Interpol did not arrest him.
He said: “I cannot speak for Interpol. It’s only them who can explain why they did not arrest him.”
Maigwa said airport police did not arrest Lutepo at KIA because the move was not necessary as the suspect was going to hand himself over.
He added that Lutepo knew that he was wanted by police and made it clear that he would hand himself over to police.
Lutepo is director of recruitment in President Joyce Banda’s ruling People’s Party (PP).
Ili ndiye bodza. Maigwa thinks we are gullible. Why would the police take someone’s word for truth, what guarantee was there that he would really hand himself in. Muluzi was once arrested at the airport so who is Lutepo to be given such VVVIP treatment. Ziziwika
I cant believe it? What did they just say???? Oooooooh!!! dear me. The best thng they cld have done was to remain silent. This just shows how they have been turned into agents of crime. Shameful.
I think we are not serious in Malawi and this just shows it. But again, this cash gate involves a lot of high ranking people so taking down Lutepo is not possible without shooting themselves in the foot. Has no one ever wondered that Lutepo gets his free billions from the Office of the President and Cabinet and nobody senior therre is picked up? Who authorised those payments and for what? Why ishe police not moving in to pick up people there for questioning . If a person like me who has not been trained in investigation work see a lot of things wrong in this picture, why is pur police not seeing it? I bet they are but have decided not do it. But the question is why?
So suspects can now choose when to get arrested?!?! How did the police know for sure that suspected criminal Lutepo would hand himself in? Why didnt they let suspect Manondo to pass through Songwe without arrest? The same police cant trust a traffic offender with a ticket, yet they trust this dude who has swindled taxpayers of billions of Kwacha. This police spokesman should not take Malawians for fools.
and at the bail hearing, even though he is being accused of stealing billions, you will see our judiciary setting bail bond at MK200,000, really? Big joke. It needs to be set at no less than MK200,000,000 and in cash if we are to say we are serious
or if convicted , president will use her discretionary powers to pardon him or to include him on parole on medical grounds. Thats politics in Africa