Kaliati out on bail for sex rap: Speaker says MP is ‘innocent until proven guilty’

Speaker of the National Assembly Richard Msowoya on Monday afternoon told parliament that Machinga Central MP Shaibu Kaliati (United Democratic Front-UDF is out on bail.

Kaliati was arrested on Friday for sexual activity with an underage girl.

He allegedly has a sexual act with a 16 year old girl from Bambino Private Schools at Annies Lodge in Lilongwe while parliament was meeting.

Msowoya did not say which charge Kaliati is answering but confirmed to the eager House that Kaliati was out on bail having spent the whole weekend at Lingadzi police station.

Both the Legal Affairs Committee of parliament and the UDF, a party that sponsored him into the House, said the law should take its course.

Kaliati is said to have sneaked out of parliament during tea break around 11 am on Friday and was allegedly spotted with the minor whom he allegedly gave K6000 after sexual intercourse.

Salima North-West MP Jessie Kabwila (Malawi Congress Party-MCP) asked the Speaker to provide more details on the arrest.

“What has happened to Honourable Shaibu [Kaliati]? Has he been suspended? What is his status of now? and his status in the House,” wondered Kabwila.

Kabwila also said it was shocking as MP Kaliati was part of the passing of the Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Bill into law found himself contravening the same law.

“I mean the MP was part of the Divorce Bill and he goes and does the very same things in conflict with the Bill? What is the position?” said Kabwila.

Speaker Msowoya said Kaliati is “an innocent man unless otherwise stated.”