MP Kamlepo missing, gets court order stopping his arrest: MRA, Malawi Police ordered to return impounded vehicles

The High Court in the commercial capital Blantyre Sunday ordered the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) to release vehicles it impounded belonging to firebrand Rumphi East parliamentarian and People’s Party (PP) vice president for the north Kamlepo Kalua pending a judicial review.

Last week MRA escorted by heavily armed police officers stormed Kalua’s house in Blantyre where they reportedly searched for documents to the vehicles which they allege were acquired through wrong procedures.

But an order signed by the High Court registrar and seen by Nyasa Times, “orders” for the release of a Toyota Land Cruiser V8 registration number KA8966 and a Mercedes Bend registration number RU5437.

In an interview with Nyasa Times one of the lawyers representing Kalua, Wanangwa Harawa, said he was happy that justice had transpired.

According to him, the Mercedes Benz in question was bought by Kalua’s son, Penjani, –popularly known as Fredokiss in music circles – and was cleared by parliament in August 2014 while the Toyota Land Cruiser V8 was also locally bought by his son in 2008 from an Indian who bought it from Toyota Malawi in 1997.

Kalua did not mince words to describe the development as part of government’s ways to “deal” with people with opposing views.

“The MRA plot is a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration’s tactic to politically persecute critics,” said Kalua.

The injunction was granted after Blantyre-based law firm, Ritz Attorneys, acting on instructions from Kalua filed with the courts a certification of extreme urgency and order granting leave to move for judicial review and relief, among others.

Meanwhile, the  Kalua family expressed fears over the life of the MP saying he has been missing.

“He was invited to go to police in Lilingwe but since then we have not been able to communicate to him,” said his daughter.

She said they were afraid of his life because there has been rumours that regime thugs were after his head.

“We pray he is fine. But we fear a lot [these regime thugs] can attack him,” she said.

Lawyer Hara said last time he spoke to Kalua was Friday when he instructed them to launch an application to the High Court to stop an arbitrary arrest.

“We moved the court with a certificate of extreme urgency for judicial review for the the decsiion of the Inspector General of Police and commissioner genera of MRA and their officers so Judge Rowland Mbundula has granted an order that the decisions by the two State institutions in respect of this matter should be amenable for review,” said Hara.

Kalua said the raid by scored of MRA officials accompnaied by armed police at his house whereby they were breaking the house doors as well as at his son, was a political witchunting aimed at intimidating and harassing him.

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