Malawi Law Society credibility questioned for ‘defending abuse of human rights’

A social commentator says the Malawi Law Society (MLS) led by Burton Chidongondo Mhango is displaying its bias and backing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) having sides with President Peter Mutharika in the presidential elections despite presenting itself as a friend of the court.

The commentator, Onjezani Kenani, made the accusation on Facebook after the Law Society president Mhango backed the police action in arresting Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) leaders for planning to should down State Residences.

“The Malawi Law Society defends police action. Why not change your society to Mutharika Law Society? You sided with his as amicus curiae, now you are defending his abuse if human rights,” Kenani wrote.

A veteran journalist Dickson Kashoti also posted his status on Facebook aimed at MLS as an operative of the ruling party.

“Those who are against us, are not with us, Good morning cadet Malawi Law Society,” wrote Kashoti.

Mhango, whose brother Charles Chidongondo Mhango is legal adviser of DPP,  said the HRDC leaders flouted the laws of the land when they  were planning to shut down State residences with a “citizen’s electoral justice march” to the State House on 25 March.

“An attempt to commit anoffence us a crime and planning a can lead to committing an offence. I f someone was planning to seal State House that was reason enough to be picked,” said Mhango.

Malawi Law Society president said human rights activists “need not to be lawless in their conduct.”

Meanwhile, the High Court has ordered that the Malawi police “immediately return” HRDC leaders Trapence and Sembereka to Lilongwe, where they were originally arrested, and that their case be dealt with by the Lilongwe court.

They also ordered that HRDC chairperson Timothy Mtambo, for whom a warrant has been arrested and who surrendered himself to Police on Tuesday,  may not be transferred to Blantyre or any city other than Lilongwe  for judicial tourism.

Human rights activists in Malawi  – Charles Kajoloweka heading Youth and Society (YAS), Moses Mkandawire of Church and Society of the Livingstonia Synod and Gibson Chisale of Pace

have warned that is the HRDC members are not released they will mobilise the public for mass demonstrations.

In his statement, Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN),  regional programmes manager Washington Katema, based in Johannesburg,  expressed  “reasonable apprehension and fear” for the lives of the activists, pointing out that anything is possible to be done against them while they are detained, including torture, inhuman and other degrading treatment as well as poisoning.”

SAHRDN said the arrest of HRDC leaders were arbitrarily and must, therefore, be released unconditionally since they were planning to hold peaceful demonstrations.