Ndirande residents back Chakwera hecklers, fill court

Scores of residents from Ndirande Township in Blantyre yesterday filled the Blantyre Magistrate’s Court to support three of their own arrested for allegedly obstructing and throwing stones at President Lazarus Chakwera’s motorcade in the city last Friday. 

Two of the suspects, Pearson Chimimba, 48, and Hector Ndawala, 38, were arrested on Monday while the third, Lucy Namba, 25, was arrested on Tuesday night. The trio was taken to court yesterday where they were formally charged.

Thirty minutes before the court proceedings started, the courtroom was fully packed with some Ndirande residents, compelling other court users including journalists to follow the proceedings from outside.

During the proceedings, the State, through South West Police Region prosecution officer Damiano Kaputa told the court that police are facing challenges to make more arrests due to the hostility in the township.

He said there are more suspects connected with the blocking and pelting the President’s convoy with stones at HHI Roundabout as a funeral procession was heading to HHI Cemetery.

Said Kaputa: “The investigation has been a hurdle on the part of the State because there have been some squabbles between police and people of Ndirande when we went to arrest other suspects.

“Your [Worship], you know these [Ndirande residents] are difficult people. As I am talking now, we are failing to impound the vehicle which the first accused person [Chimimba] was driving because of the resistance by the people of Ndirande.”

Principal resident magistrate Godfrey Balaka then read out the three counts levelled against the trio. They are intent on endangering safety of persons travelling by road, criminal negligence and failing to stop for the President.

Kaputa then asked the court to allow police to continue keeping the three suspects in police custody for the next seven days to allow police complete their investigations.

But private practice lawyers Chancy Gondwe and Alexious Kamangila, who are representing the suspects pro-bono, asked the court to release their clients on bail on the basis that they are all Malawians with permanent homes in Malawi, as such, they cannot interfere with investigation or State witness and that their offences are minor.

Said Gondwe: “Most of the offences are misdemeanor [minor]. They are not more serious offences than treason or murder and there is nothing that will motivate the accused persons to leave the jurisdiction.

“On the hurdles, we don’t know how it is applicable to the accused persons who are in their custody. There is no evidence to attest to the factual issues in which they managed to arrest the suspects,”

But Kaputa counter-argued that the offences are not minor and insisted that the suspects should remain in police cells for the next seven days.

He said offences of intention to endangering safety of persons travelling by road carries a maximum of life sentence, while criminal negligence offence attracts 14 years imprisonment.

“The President has immunity, if they did not respect the Office of the President, how will they respect the bail. This is also not a minor case. It is a felony,” said Kaputa.

Balaka has reserved the bail application ruling for tomorrow.

Soon after the magistrate adjourned the matter, some sympathisers were seen interacting with the suspects, offering them support.

Chakwera’s motorcade was blocked on Friday on his way to Chileka Airport to fly out to Democratic Republic of Congo to attend the inauguration of that country’s President Felix Tshisekedi.