2 Chilima aides released on bail: Valera, Unyolo arrested for ‘acting suspiciously’

Deputy Minister of Homeland Security  Charles Mchacha and Director of National intelligence Bureau Elvis Thodi are the ones behind the arrest of Vice President Saulos Chilima’s two personal assistants on Sunday for “acting suspiciously” at Chiwanja Cha Ayao launch in  Balaka graced by President Peter Mutharika.

Police sources confided in Nyasa Times that the two issued instructions to have Joshua Valera and Kushi Unyolo arrested when they went to deliver a gift from their boss at  the cultural function.

” We just received instructions that we should arrest the two because it was an intelligence issue.Maybe that is why we failed to properly charge them,” he said.

Malawi Police Services spokeaman James Kadadzera  said the two were arrested because they were “wandering about” at the Chiwanja Cha Ayo function “and they did not even occupy any seat.”

He said the two Chilima aides were acting “very suspiciously”  which attracted security attention.

“When they were approached, they ran away so police followed them  until they apprehended them.”

Chilima who was attending a funeral  in Balaka on Sunday stormed the police  station upon hearing the arrest of his aides and  demanded answers on what he called arbitrary arrests.

He left the police station at nearly 7PM amid cheering from UTM supporters  who gathered at the  station . The UTM supporters kept singing anti-government songs.

UTM has since  described the arrest as politically motivated.

The spokesman for UTM party Joseph Chidanti Malunga said in a statement that Valera and Unyolo were  detained at Balaka Police Station “without lawful justification.”

Reads the statement in part: “We would like to remind the Police that this Country is governed by laws and any unlawful arrest can not be tolarated.”

Chidati Malunga said they are concerned that as the country is fast-approaching the May 21 Tripartite elections, the police are being used “to persecute those in the opposition.”

Said Malunga: “ Police should desist from being used by politicians as this is contrary to their code of conduct and the statute regulating police conduct.

“In 1993 Malawians voted for a change so that they can do away with Police brutality. Such careless acts and conduct can easily lead to chaos and unrest  endangering our hard won democracy peace and tranquility.”