Chirwa fined $45 for calling Malawi President ‘stupid’
A Malawian man who was arrested for calling President Joyce Banda “stupid” on Tuesday pleaded guilty to the offence and walked to freedom after paying affine of about $45.
Police charged 37-year-old Japhet Chirwa with breaching the peace, after he vented his anger at the authorities following the rejection of his bid to renew his passport at Immigration Department in Mzuzu.
Chirwa reportedly called President Banda “stupid” and also accused her of being a “failure”.
Magistrate Lilian Munthali said the sentence would “teach others a lesson to respect the head of state and freedom of speech had limits”.
Chirwa , who hails from Mazembe village, T/A Fulumapiri in Nkhata Bay, faced an alternative of six months in jail.
His family pooled together funds to pay the fine.
Police spokesman Maurice Chapola said Chirwa’s guilty plea had come as a surprise but did not give further details.
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