Peter sues PP over arson allegations
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president Peter Mutharika has sued the ruling People’s Party (PP) over allegations that DPP was responsible for the fire that burnt two houses belonging to the PP officials in Mulanje.
After the two houses caught fire some weeks ago, PP through its deputy publicity secretary Ken Msonda blamed it on the opposition DPP, warning the party that PP had capacity and machinery to hit back.
But the opposition DPP has not taken the arson allegations kindly and has, through its lawyer Ted Roka, asked PP to issue a formal apology or at least advise them how PP intended to deal with the matter within seven days.
The lawyer, in a letter dated October 2 2013, warned he had instructions to start legal proceedings against the registered trustees of the PP without further notice should the seven days elapse without PP addressing the matter.
Part of Roka’s letter reads: “In your statement…you condemned undemocratic and barbaric acts of violence by the DPP, which has greatly damaged the reputation of our clients as they have been portrayed as arsonists, a party that is undemocratic and full of people that love violence.
“Please be advised that our clients consider such statements defamatory as they have been brought into hatred, contempt and ridicule not only to the people in Mulanje district but to the general public including their own party members.”
The lawyer said police were through with investigations which he said DPP members were cleared from any involvement in the matter. He said the investigation revealed that the fire was accidental.
PP publicity secretary Hophmally Makande asked for more time when contacted yesterday to check with the party’s director of legal affairs if the party had received such a letter.
The two PP officials in Mulanje, Pilirani Chipembere and Alice Julio, told police earlier that they did not know who burnt their houses, only to return to police days later to change their statements and implicated unnamed DPP officials.
