Controversy over jet and Malawi President’s step son abduction fears

There was tense and controversy when a private jet landed at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in Lilongwe and ‘took’ President Peter Mutharika’s step son for a ‘ride’ in Malawian airspace before dropping him off again.

Insiders said when the private jet touched down, none of its passengers came out of the plane but instead it was Mutharika’s step son Tadikila and two of his collegues  including Chimwemwe Chipungu and  the Principal Secretary for the Presidential Initiative on Safe Motherhood and State House staff Martin Nkasala.

“Apparently one of the on lookers managed to place a call to President Mutharika telling him that his step son has been abducted by unknown people using a private jet and that is when the President called Chief spy Nicholus Dausi asking for the whereabouts of his son,” said an insider privy to the incident.

Nyasa Times sources said things got out of hand because the President was not aware who Tadikila was with in the private jet and where they had gone to.

But Nyasa Times investigations indicate that the private jet was cleared to fly within the Malawi space for about an hour before it landed again.

“By this time, the Inspector General of Police and other intelligence officers including those from the Malawi Army were involved to find out what was happening. Things only came to normal when Tadikila informed Dausi that he was meeting some ‘investors’ and that it was not abduction,” said the source.

It is not known what kind of investors Tadikila and his friends were meeting as officials from Malawi Investments and Trade Centre (Mitc) who oversee trade and investment functions were not on the private jet.

While on the plane, Tadikila and his friends used the opportunity for photo sessions and one of the leaked pictures is the one of Nkasala relaxing while discussing business with the unknown ‘investors’.

Insiders said Tadikila, Chipungu and Nkasala do ‘business’ together and it was not surprising to see them together meeting the ‘investors’.

Chipungu is former ruling DPP Administrative Secretary but now is Executive Director of Safe motherhood while Nkasala works at State House.

When contacted for comment, Chipungu said the “abduction did not happen.”

Asked to respond to questions sent to him, he said Dausi would be better placed to comment.

But Dausi could not comment.