Police yesterday arrested Lilongwe Msozi North Constituency legislator and former Cabinet minister Sosten Gwengwe, but reasons for the arrest remained under wraps as we went to press.
National Police spokesperson Lael Chimtembo said he needed more time to verify details of the arrest.
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But Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokesperson Jessie Kabwila in an interview last evening confirmed that Gwengwe, who chairs the Budget and Finance Committee of Parliament, was being held at Lumbadzi Police Station in Lilongwe.
However, she said the party was still awaiting details surrounding his arrest.
“He was arrested in the afternoon, but I am yet to establish whether he surrendered himself or the circumstances under which he was arrested,” said Kabwila, adding that the MCP legal team was engaging authorities to establish the reasons.
Efforts to reach MCP director of legal affairs George Kadzipatike proved futile as he did not respond to calls.
Gwengwe becomes the sixth former Cabinet minister to be arrested under the current administration. Others are Kabwila, Richard Chimwendo Banda, Moses Kunkuyu, Ezekiel Ching’oma, and Vitumbiko Mumba. All five were later released on court bail.
Gwengwe served in former president Lazarus Chakwera’s Cabinet first as minister of Finance and later at Trade and Industry.
