Chilima chartered plane remains detained at KIA due to ‘suspicious activities’ of crew – Police

May 20, 2019 Nyasa Times 45 Comments

An 8-seater plane that state vice president and UTM party presidential hopeful in Tuesday’s tripartite elections, Saulos Chilima, used to fly to the island district of Likoma on Friday remains detained at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) with authorities citing “suspicious activities” of its crew members and passengers.

Malawi police detain ‘suspicious’ jet

Malawi Police Service (MPS) spokesperson James Kadadzera suggested the detention was in the interest of national good.

“The plane  number  ZS-SDS  owned  by  Fair Aviation has been detained  due  to  suspicious  activities   of  its crew members  and passengers which the  Malawi  Police  Service  and  other   security  arms  are  currently  investigating in the interest of  national security,” reads the statement in part.

The plane, according to police , landed at KIA on 17 May, 2019 and flew to Mzuzu and then Likoma Island. The plane flew back from Likoma to Mzuzu on the same day and proceeded to Lilongwe.

The statement adds that “government has booked two pilots of the ‘suspicious’ plane at a local hotel  as they wait for the Malawi Police Service and Civil aviation  authorities to complete investigations.”

President Peter Mutharika, during his last political rally at Njamba Park in Blantyre, said he “knew everything about the plane, who was in the plane and what the plane was doing in the country.” 

Nyasa Times’ sources say, among other, chartered plane’s crew used a false application to enter Malawi.

Pictures of the aircraft have been circulating on social media showing members of Saulos Chilima’s UTM party hanging by.

“Contrary to their application, the crew flew the plane to Mzuzu where they carried Saulos Chilima to Likoma and back to Mzuzu. The plane later flew back to Lilongwe where authorities grounded it.

“Airport security sources at Likoma International Airport have disclosed that Chilima had a secret meeting with the crew who are known to have a military background,” a source said.

On Saturday afternoon, Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and the police searched the plane in the company of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and lawyer Chikosa Silungwe.

“Some security officers who went on the search have leaked information that the search found a very suspicious communication machine which is still being kept as a state secret.

“MDF and Police are said to have called in Chinese experts to assist with a forensic analysis of the suspicious device,” said the source.

Nyasa Times has learnt that police is also investigating the South African crew that was on board.

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45 replies on “Chilima chartered plane remains detained at KIA due to ‘suspicious activities’ of crew – Police”

  1. A Saulosi kuyesesa kupeza shortcut to plot 1. Koma upresident wakhweka . Ndi ma drug dealers omwe pa upresident???

  2. I hope the police are not going to plant some thing on the plane and say it is a UTM rigging machine. Kufuna kupezelana zifukwa by the DPP.

  3. A police kuzolowera kudya ma plain ndiye ati agwire plane. Ma allowance a MEC ma PLAIN avuta khoba, kkkk

  4. axse kulawilila ndi kulawilila mawa mamawa kuti ndikavotele dpp ndi adad kuti abwelele mboma ndapenga

  5. Chonde, don’t allow the plane to go, mudikire kaye, after elections inyamule maliseche kkkkkkkkkkk, izikamwa coffee ku US, paja nkhalamba kukonda coffee.

  6. Chilima was too confident, screen the plane issue thoroughly! We can’t have a stolen vote to usher a drug addict into State House, Lord forbid!

    1. Brutality at it’s best. The plane was cleared by ADL to land at KIA; cleared again to depart for Mzuzu; Cleared by the same ADL to land at mzuzu airport; the same ADL processed papers for it to depart and thoroughly cleared for its landing on the Island. The same happened at all the airports till it landed back at KIA. Are we serious as a country? Where were the security agencies? Seems we are a sick nation, ndithu!

  7. Now we have to strongly believe that DPP has been rigging general elections all through. MCP was right to complain that elections have never been fair in Malawi. We need more clarification.

  8. MDF, chonde mukhale mmene munalili, musawalole andale kukugwiritsani ntchito. A Polisi timadziwa kale kuti amadya ndi andale, but you MDF please remain apolitical

  11. I had a dream last night, and in my dream I saw that Peter Mutharika won the 2nd terms as president in tomorrows elections.

  12. Tomorrow Tuesday MAY 21, 2019 will remain a great day in the history of Malawi when Malawians are going to speak to Peter and his Desperate Destroyed Party that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Malawians are going to chose PROGRESS and not MEDIOCRITY which is one of the major attributes of this desperate party called DPP. Whether you like or not, you are going out tomorrow and DR SAULOS KLAUS CHILIMA is entering to clear the mess and bring sanity into the country.

    All the best DR SAULOS KLAUS CHILIMA as you move on to move our beautiful country forward.

    May the LORD God bless DR SAULOS KLAUS CHILIMA and UTM.

  16. Chelinje
    Apolice leave this plane to go. Mukufunanso muononge ndalama zanthu to pay this company once the truth has been established. Detaining the plane will cost us a lot of money on wednesday.

  20. Why do our security agencies get excited over trivia? We have a major event this week and yet we are wasting precious resources on trivia

    SKC isn’t the first and I can say with certainty won’t be the last Malawian to charter jets from South Africa to use locally. Actually Bakili Muluzi did charter a jet to facilitate his travel to Likoma in 2009 elections.

    By the way am reliably informed that UTM leadership had approached Malawi Lake Services (read Mota Engil) to hire MV Chilembwe for Likoma rally. However , Mota Engil acting on orders from somewhere refused to do business with UTM. What is strange is that since January MV Chilembwe was used by DPP leadership for their travel to Likoma for about three times.

    SKC like any other candidate had a busy campaign to run and to take him to task over the use of a private jet to campaign in Likoma is “suspicious “ to say the least.

  22. Paja tinkaphuzila za ilala pano zose zinakocezedwa. Nde mmati adhampile popita ku likomako????
    Dpp bwa osakafikako? You sidelined them as if they aint mwians yet you want them vote for you. They got yhe right to know and see wats happening in their country.
    Crappy idiots. U can detain the plane but know that you are walking around ndi citosi cokakamila pa thako ndi albino killings, buleya torture and killing, njaunju, chasowa plus stupid commisions with no result.
    Idiots snorting cows

  23. Only stupid gullible would believe its secret! How can it be secret when they all wearing visible UTM gear lol some of the people here are so stupid and I would how do they even have access to internet with the level of stupidity!

    1. Stupidity of the highest level. Ndiponso kandege kapangidwa clear m’ma airport onse then kuti kazibwelera kwawo mpamene aziti akagwira. Pamenepa security mesa akanakhala atasokoneza kale!

      1. Kufuna kungoonongetsa ndalama zathu zoti azawalipire anthu akanena kuti ndegeyo inalibe vuto

  24. The problem of employing dull and incapable people in state institutions.
    Kenako Boma la Malawi lidzangolipirapo zi ndalama thooo! Poor decision making, Buleya’s wife is already suing the government for the suspicious death of her husband, the Malawi police is at

  26. Malawi, so pathetic and petty! A plane requests to land at the country’s main airport with no declared purpose and the Department of Civil Aviation gives it clearance. The plane is then cleared to depart for Mzuzu and again from there for Likoma. It now becomes a problem when Saulos Chilima is among the passengers it picks in Mzuzu. Simple logic, with no reliable transport between mainland and Likoma, how was Chilima supposed to address a rally there with the hectic schedulle he had? Is it because Agogo sanapiteko and zawawa kwambiri? It is very well know that many pilots all over the world have military background! Wake up Malawi from the slumber. Next, do not be surprised when the aircraft’s owners demand 5 million dollars! compensation!

    1. ndalama zathu za misonkho zikungopita mmadzi anthu ma pilot ali ku Hotel ali chete

  30. boma lalowa zibwana ili true anthu anapha Buleya aja akuyenda monyang’wa kunjaku osawafufuza bwanji kkkk

  31. Hahah achepa Adad ndi ma Cadet awo omwe, why being reactive instead of being proactive??

    Zinthu zatheka kale ndipamene inu mkusambika mumaso kugwira Ndenge yoti ikubwerela kwawo. Ntchito yomwe inabwerela yagwira kale , Chilima waku Sanjika basi.

    Mulira nayo Nyamatayu, ife timakuwuzani ntengeni bwino mfanayu basi inu kukavera Dausi crook wachikalekale yotsazindikila zamakono pomwe anthu akubela.

    You just missed your opportunity Mr president

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