Macra snatches Toyota Prado, other items from Bisika to defy court order: Cash missing

It never rains but it pours for  Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) deputy director general Francis  Bisika as the authority has confiscated his official vehicle and other items despite court cases.

Macra security personnel, along side police officers, Saturday morning stormed Bisika’s house in Blantyre where they reclaimed the Authority’s property, Toyota Prado registration number BU 9900 without any warrant.

Besides the vehicle, the security agents went away with K280 000 cash which was in the vehicle’s glove compartment, according to Bisika’s lawyer Chancy Gondwe.

Gondwe said it is unfortunate that  Macra is confiscating  Bisika’s motor vehicle despite the existence of a court injunction.

He said the lawyers will take steps “permissible under the law” to make Macra officials accountable through the committal process that thry filed with the court.

Gondwe told a local press that  the “arrogance and defiance” from Macra  “only happens in countries where there is total breakdown of law and order.”

Macra’s Legal Director Dan Chiwoni could not be reached as he was reportedly in Mulanje for other assignments.

And Macra director general Godfrey Itaye  – who is on enemy action against Bisika – declined to comment on the matter.

Three weeks ago, High Court Judge Jack N’riva ordered the authority to reinstate its deputy director general within 72 hours, failing which three top officials—Itaye and director of legal services Dan Chiwoni and former board chair Mervis Mangulenje would be jailed for contempt of court.

But Itaye acting above the law and larger than life has directed Macra not  to comply with the court order.

The raid comes, just a week after fiscal police led by Inspector Joseph Nkuna stormed Bisikas home, demanding that he accompany them to fiscal headquarters for some interrogation, a move allegedly masterminded  by Itaye.

Itaye said the High Court is just wasting its time and went ahead to hire Fiscal Police to harass Bisika.

Menyere, a prematurely retired army major who was being investigated for defrauding the army millions of kwacha, was hired by Itaye and dubiously promoted to Security Manager, despite miserably being withdrawn on academic grounds from the Malawi College of Accountancy where he attempted to pursue a Master’s Degree, a basic qualification for Macra managers.

Meanwhile, the country’s civil society organisations (CSOs) are organising mass demonstrations on April 29 on various national issues which include Macra’s defiance and discriminatory regulation of broadcasters.