Wandale eyes parliamentary role: Appeals against Malawi tea estates land grab conviction

People’s Land Organization (PLO) leader Vincent Wandale has filed an appeal against his conviction and suspended sentence on conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor, unauthorized use of land and criminal trespass.

The Blantyre Magistrate’s Court on 3 November, 2016 slapped the controversial self-claimed President of the Republic of Thyolo and Mulanje with 18 months suspended jail sentence but acquitted his accomplice, Tendai Nsikita, of the same charges.

He was ordered by the court to a surety of K 100, 000 and not commits any crime in the said 18 months.

And his lawyer Michael Goba Chipeta confirmed to local media that they have finally filed for an appeal against both the conviction and sentencing.

“I can confirm that we filed with the court an appeal. What is expected right now is for the court to go through our papers and set a hearing date,” Chipeta told private-owned 101 radio station.

In one of his arguments for appeal, Wandale claims he could not be charged of criminal trespass when actually was not present at the time his followers invaded some tea estates in Thyolo district.

Wandale is pushing to overturn the conviction and sentencing which will act as a standing block in his bid to vie for Parliamentary seat in his home district.

Meanwhile, he has started processes to turn his organization into a political party, and overturning the court ruling will automatically set him free to engage in any political activity.

Wandale was arrested on September 3 in Lilongwe in connection to an incident that happened on September 1 at Conforzi Tea Estate in Thyolo where hundreds of villagers invaded the estate and started sharing land for permanent settlement and cultivation.

After his conviction, Wandale vowed to take the issue to International Criminal Court (ICC) but the claim was quashed by law expert at Chancellor College (CHANCO) Edge Kanyongolo.

Meanwhile, it is not known if Wandale will go on with his earlier plan to take the issue to ICC.

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