Police arrest APM’s ex-aide

Police in Lilongwe yesterday arrested former president Peter Mutharika’s bodyguard Norman Chisale for allegedly meddling with the course of justice.

National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said in a statement that the arrest follows complaints lodged by public officers that the suspect was obstructing justice.

Reads the statement in part: “The arrest follows complaints by public officers from different institutions who alleged that Mr. Chisale has been confronting them with sordid threats for their respective roles in criminal cases that he is answering in the court of law or being investigated on.”

The police further state that Chisale was arrested at National Police Headquarters in Area 30, Lilongwe where he was summoned to. Meanwhile, he is in police custody awaiting court appearance.

Speaking in an interview yesterday, Chisale’s lawyer Stanley Chirwa said his client was on remand at Lingadzi Police Station in Area 18.

He said the arrest warrant indicated that Chisale was arrested on two counts of intimidation and use of insulting language.

Said Chirwa: “Both of these counts are stemming from an interview which Mr. Chisale granted and in connection with the Minister of Justice Titus Mvalo.”

He further said he would apply for bail when his client is taken to court.

Chisale is said to have made the accusations against some public officers, including former Director of Public Prosecutions Steven Kayuni during an interview he granted to Zodiak Broadcasting Station television a fortnight ago.

The former presidential aide is answering criminal proceedings in the High Court of Malawi bordering on money laundering, possession of unexplained property and filing of inaccurate documents.

Chisale is accused of abusing Mutharika’s duty-free importation privileges and the Constitutional Court is yet to make a determination on whether the matter is civil or criminal and if the matter should run concurrently.

In the criminal case on cement imports, businessperson Mahmed Chunara,  Chisale, former State residences chief of staff Peter Mukhito, former Malawi Revenue Authority deputy commissioner general Roza Mbilizi  and businessperson Ahmed Chunara are accused of abusing the former president’s privileges to import cement worth K5 billion duty free.