MCP suspected ‘WhatsApp coup’ plotters to seek judicial review on treason case

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) suspended publicist Jessie Kabwila and party member Ulemu Msungama say they are going to court to seek judicial review over the state failure to take them to court over treason charges.

Their lawyer Gustave Kaliwo said he would be seeking a judicial review after the police subjected his clients to report to police for a year now without being taken to court to answer the treason charges.

“Either they be taken to court or the charges be dropped,” said the soft spoken Kaliwo.

Kabwila said she is a slave in a free country and blamed the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials for her ordeal.

“We are slaves. Wherever we are, whatever we do, we have to remember to report to police. This is not nomal life,” she said.

She wondered what sort of treason case the police is failing to bring her to court a year after her arrest.

Kabwila said her disagreements with the DPP started years back during the academic freedom saga at Chancellor College where as leader of lacturers union body, she led the resistance against the DPP led government control of academic freedom at the college.

President Peter Mutharika was Education minister when his brother, Bingu was president, Education minister Emmanuel Fabiano was principal at Chancellor College and the director of State Residences Peter Mukhito was Inspector General of Police.

Secretary General of DPP Ecklen Kudontoni rejected Kabwila’s accusations, saying she should not drag in the DPP in MCP political problems.

Kabwila and Msungama were arrested on whatsapp chats, which some legal experts, including the Malawi Law Society say the state has a weak case against the two.