Mutharika to visit his jail cell at Maula, Lumbadzi

President Peter Mutharika will on Wednesday visit Maula Prison and Lumbadzi Police holding cell where he was detained on treason charges.

State House press officer Chikondi Juma said President Mutharika will lead those that were arrested together with him and the entire Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) membership in retracing his roots.

According to the statement, the President will participate in painting of holding cells and offices at Lumbadzi   Police Station where he and 11 others were incarcerated as well as visit Maula Prison in the city of Lilongwe.

“The President’s involvement in these activities is to underline his philosophy and the commitment of his administration that no one in Malawi will be arrested on political grounds and that prisons should not be detention centres for punishment rather places for rehabilitation and reformation,” Juma said.

The cell where Mutharika was has been painted blue and the corner he slept has been dubbed “Freedom Corner”.

Mutharika lamented at his inauguration last year that he faced persecution under the previous regime when he alongside former Cabinet ministers in the Bingu wa Mutharika administration were charged with treason.

After winning elections, government dropped the case of Mutharika and DPP heavyweights charged alongside Mutharika includING Jean Kalirani, Kondwani Nankhumwa and Patricia Kaliati, Goodall Gondwe, Nicholas Dausi, Simon Vuwa Kaunda and Bright Msaka.

The State said the sitting President was immune to prosecution as stated in Section 91(2) of the Constitution which says: “No person holding the office of President shall be charged with any criminal offence in any court during his term of office.”