HRDC lawyers battle for bail: Trapence, Sembereka in high spirits

Arrested iconic rights activists Gift Trapence and MacDonald Sembereka are in very high spirits in two different police stations  the law enforcers are holding them in Blantyre for planning a “citizen’s electoral justice march” to the State House on 25 March.

Trapence: Arrested

Trapence is being held at Blantyre police station while Sembereka is at Ndirande police station.

In an interview with Nyasa Times on Monday, Trapence said after their arrest on Sunday, they were transported to Blantyre for undisclosed reasons.

He said they arrived in Blantyre at midnight.

On bail application, Trapence said their lawyers tried for a police bail but was not coming forth and are now at the High Court.

The two human rights activists were arrested in Lilongwe last evening barely hours after President Peter Mutharika warned HRDC that both the police and army will use “full force” to stop them from holding demonstrations at State House.

The police are still looking for the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) chairperson Timothy Mtambo who has gone into hiding.

Prominent lawyer Ralph Kasambara says lawyers representing Mtambo, who is yet to be detained, should apply to court for pre detention  bail under section 42 of Constitution as read with Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code.

“Hope courts will grant it,” he said.

Office of the Inspector General of the Malawi Police ominously describes Mtambo as “on the run”.

It also claims that the three are being arrested for statements they made at a press conference on 6 March.

“By inciting people to seal the State Residences on 25th March 2020, the three committed an offence under section 124 of the Penal Code”, reads the statement in part, adding: “The three suspects are fully aware that Section 103 of the Police Act prohibits any demonstrations or assemblies within a hundred metres from State Residences unless the same have been permitted by the State President.”

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Muhariteniwo
Muhariteniwo
4 years ago

Kukhala misozi posachedwapa.

Old timers
Old timers
4 years ago

These thugs needs to be arrested,

Opportunist
Opportunist
4 years ago

Get ready for freedom is coming tomorrow

Mtete
Mtete
4 years ago

Please APM, don’t make our Police Service a laughing stocks by ordering them to carry
out duties which they subsequently cannot defend or explain.

father of the nation
father of the nation
4 years ago

Am sure ada kasambara is breach of bail conditions for advising the hrdc lawyers only that his friends in the judiciary are sleeping on their job or they ate part of kasambara’s cash gate loot.

Kandulu
Kandulu
4 years ago

If my memory serves me well. His brother arrested Atupele Muluzi and went on to boast about it at Kawale, only less than a week to die from heart attack. The greats learn from history. One should learn that nothing is forever. The problem with Peter now is that he does not know who is a friend or the enemy.

charles
charles
4 years ago
Reply to  Kandulu

It seems he has no guts to analyse the people who advise him. He has never been a serious leader. He has not hard time to analyse the double tongue of malawians.

mchisala
mchisala
4 years ago

If the section prohibits demonstrations or assembly in the vicinity of the state house without permission, how did MPS know HRDC was not going to get permission with demonstration(s) slated for March 25? The problem is our MPS is too much a tool of our tinpot dictator Mutharika!!!

Guideon
Guideon
4 years ago

DPP anapanga assemble ku state house pa zionetsero zawo bwanji sanamange

wa Nyau
wa Nyau
4 years ago
Reply to  Guideon

wekhatu ukuti assemble,pomwe zigawengazi zikuti shutdown.Sukuona kusiyana? Ufese aphuzitsi ako akuuze kusiyana kwake

charles
charles
4 years ago
Reply to  wa Nyau

Nkhani still stand Peter asayinire nsanga basi ndi kuti asankhe ena ma commissioner pano zikuoneka simple koma anyamatawa amatithandiza to control the hearts. Letsani muone zotsatira zake mtsogolomu. Sindikufuna nkhondo zomwe titha kuzipewa. Onse amachita nkhondo later amapanga regret. Ndikutuma peter muthalika for peace asayinire nsanga. Vuto ndi lakuti amachedwa kupanga zadziko msanga mukukumbuka ali minister wa education paja university inatsekedwa. Mukuona ngati anthu anayiwala???? Zinthu ngati zimenezi ndi zomwe akufunika kukakamizidwa kuti apange msanga Asayiwale kuti mpando umenewu si ufumu ayi. Alipo adzachoka mongo Acheya, Joyce Banda , Kamuzu Banda, ndi Bingu mizimu yawo iwuse mu mtendere. ASAYINIRE NSANGA… Read more »

elicy ngwenya
elicy ngwenya
4 years ago
Reply to  wa Nyau

GTO TO HELL U IDIOT WHAT ARE CU BACKING UP?

chataika
chataika
4 years ago
Reply to  Guideon

That was not vigil and they went to their party president and not as state president at that time

kusadziwa mkufa komwe
kusadziwa mkufa komwe
4 years ago
Reply to  Guideon

kumanva chizungu pliz akuti if permitted by the state president…komanso awo anapita ku state housewo samakapangatu ma demo mufufuze kuti amakatani….amalawi umburi uzatipha…ngati mtambo wathawa iwenso nde ndani?

Palihe
Palihe
4 years ago

They were demonstrating against the judgement, idiot! Was it not?

gogomala
gogomala
4 years ago
Reply to  Guideon

may be they were authorised. paja akuti its up to occupant to accept or not any visitors. akutelo

Nyamoyo
Nyamoyo
4 years ago
Reply to  Guideon

Kumamva please, akuti the assemblies can only be permitted upon the approval by the state president. So the demonstrations u r talking about had an approval and was not violent.

Nangwale
Nangwale
4 years ago
Reply to  Guideon

Akulu akuti if only the president grants them permission, maybe thats what happened

Andrew
Andrew
4 years ago
Reply to  Guideon

The President permitted it, see the police act , section 103

Mr Dunduzu
Mr Dunduzu
4 years ago

Glory be God

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