Court releases JB’s aide on bail, convicts him on drink-drive: Updated
Blantyre Magistrate court has ordered the release on bail of Tusekele Mwanyongo, an aide to former President Joyce Banda who was arrested on Friday morning as the court convicted and fined him on Drink and Drive offence aside charging him on another offence of abducting a police officer.
On Friday Mwanyongo told Nyasa Times that he was arrested on accusations that he was the face behind the Facebook account by the name of Gerald Kampanikiza who is regarded as a strong critic of President Peter Mutharika and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
However, facts presented in court on Friday afternoon indicate otherwise; court documents indicate that Mwanyongo was arrested on Friday morning for driving while under influence of alcohol contrary to Road Traffic Act and for resisting arrest by abducting a police officer.
Mwanyongo was found by police officers who were patrolling at Chemusa Township, Blantyre in a drunken state whilst driving his motor vehicle. He was told to drive to Blantyre police station under escort of a police officer constable Likagwa (No. B2023).
However, before entering the gates of Blantyre police station at Wenela, he sped away heading to his home, Chilomoni Mthukwa abducting the police officer who was escorting him.
The court was told that the abducted officer called his workmates at office for his rescue and they immediately responded and managed to rescue him before arresting Mwanyongo on a fresh offence of Obstructing Police Officers on Duty.
Senior Resident Magistrate Viva Nyimba convicted Mwanyongo on drunk and drive office and fined him K10, 000 which he paid. The court granted him bail on the second offence of Obstructing Police Officers on Duty contrary to Section 256 (b) of the Penal Code with case adjourned to May 6th, 2016.
Police Reaction
Following the court ruling National Police have moved in to quash earlier reports that claimed Mwanyongo was arrested on political related trumped up charges.
National police Public Relations Officer, Nicholas Gondwa told Nyasa Times that the court has vindicated the police service over Mwanyongo’s arrest.
“The Penal Code criminalizes obstruction of police officers whilst on duty. As such to link this arrest of Mwanyongo to politics is just misinforming the public and misrepresentation of facts,” bemoaned
Gondwa.
He added: “Malawi Police Service is informing the general public especially motorists that it will continue enforcing road traffic rules and regulations to reduce road carnage in the country. Basing on these facts, it is not true that the arrest of Mwanyongo by the police service was a directive from any above as alleged”.
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FROM FACE BOOK POLITICS TO DRUNK & DRIVING ISSUE. EVEN STANDARD 1 PUPIL CAN NOT MIX ISSUES LIKE MWANYONGO’S SAGA.ONLY DPP & PETER MATHANYULA CAN DO THIS.,
Some Malawians see sinister hands behind every police action, when it impacts on their political beliefs or affiliations. Especially when there is also a tribal tangent to the issue. You know exactly what I mean, in the context of this story. It is good for this website to admit that in their attempt to scoop the news, they were wrong to associate the arrest with the fact that Mwanyongo is an absolute apostle of Joisi Banda, the disgraced (unelected) past president of ours, who we turfed out of office two years ago. And Amen: Good riddance that was. The Police… Read more »
What will happen to that police Man. Why did he allow the drink driver drive a car? Considering all the accidents happening in our Country, I wouldn’t think a sane Police would allow someone drunk to drive a car. And what scares me more is our court system didn’t find anything wrong with the drama. God help us. Unless there is a diversion. I smell a rat. Politics is a dirty game.
amalawi chilichose kunyoza mngakhale zabwno.ha!malawi sadzasintha ndithu
Hahaha this story does not make sense at all. How can the police allow a person who is drunk to drive a car?and at the same time carry a police officer? Anakapanga ngozi during this time would they have charged him of the offence of drink and drive? Penapake a DPP mwationjeza,siife ana.Dikilani zambiri muzaziona pa demo ikubwelayi.
Let’s not minimize the impact drunk driving has on our streets – people go out drinking only to get behind the wheel all too often.
Now that I got that out of the way, what a bizarre series of events. Try to reenact what is alleged to have transpired, then convince yourself that it’s believable. A challenging task. Osangokhulupilira zonse zomwe mwamva. Chonde ganizani mofatsa. -LB
I cant get what the Police is communicati ng here, maybe am iliterate, becoz yesterday it was said that Tusekele Mwanyongo was using someone’s face book account. The courts too, they are used though they have educated fools. Its why the UN special envoy on albinos have wondered: “Malawi’s courts are able to sentence a cattle thieve 17yrs jail with hard labour, but an albino killer is sentenced to 3.5yrs jail. Malawi is able to act against porching but the same Malawi is un able to protect the people with albinoism.” what type of Police and courts have Malawi?
Kikikik! Wa sipoli anabedwa!
What kind is stupid charges are these, so the police officer was riding a car driven by a “drunk driver” who was supposed to drive himself to a police station, did the ” drunk driver” give consent that the police officer should ride in his car? Or the police forced himself into the ” drunk drivers” car if that is is the case then the police officer should be charged with GROSS ABUSE OF POWER and his ass thrown in Jail
This is a shity administration for sure.