Court releases on bail MCP supporters arrested over election-related violence

Lilongwe Magistrate Court has released on bail 18 supporters of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) who were arrested last Thursday at the party’s headquarters where police fired tear gas in connection with election-related violence.

The supporters including newly-elected Lilongwe City Centre parliamentarian Alfred Jiya have been charged with inciting violence.

Jiya was not in court when Magistrate Viva Nyimba on Monday granted bail to the suspects.

Nyimba pointed out that the bail applies to all those who were arrested as some were set to appear in court tomorrow.

He however asked all suspects to be boded with K10 000 sureties each.

President Peter Mutharika has accused MCP president Lazarus Chakwera of fuelling political violence to takeover government by force,  saying Chakwera allowed his supporters to harass workers at Capital Hill in one of the protests.

He argued that the MCP president is on record as saying he is ready to cause blood, a statement which Chakwera said was quoted out of context.