Nation newspaper apologises for article on ‘Chakwera’s aide nabbed’: Court refuses bail to guard Kamphantego

March 28, 2019 Nyasa Times Reporter 38 Comments

Malawi’s leading daily newspaper, The Nation, has tweeted an apology for a an article it publicised that a security aide believed to be of  Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president, Lazarus Chakwera was arrested on Thursday for attempting to sell albino bones and a human uterus.

The Nation’s apology on Twitter
Donvan Silungwe: Lawyer representing Kamphamtengo

The Nation posted  a story online which  indicated Dekhani Kamphamtengo, 41, from Kasinje village in the area of chief Kalumbu, Lilongwe was arrested on 20 March.

The story was also carried by Nyasa Times as cited the police report and confirmed by National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera that the suspect works as a security guard at Chakwera’s Area 10 residence according to the recorded statement.

However, The Nation took to Twitter Thursday to withdraw the article and apologised.

It tweeted: “We would like to withdraw the story titled; ‘Chakwera’s aid (sic) nabbed’ and applogise (sic) for any inconvenience caused.”

The article in question is now offline  from Nation Publications.

Meanwhile, Nyasa Times has not withdrawn the article, with its editorial saying: “The guard is arrested, fact. His own police statement says  he works for Chakwera., fact. The matter is in court, fact. Police have confirmed, fact.”

And the Lilongwe Magistrate Court has  on Thursday denied bail to Kaphamtengo, who comes from, Kasinje Village, Traditional Authority Kalumbu in Lilongwe.

Police  prosecutor passionately argued that the case “is a serious and sensitive matter” hence bail should not be given until investigations are concluded.

Following this argument, Senior Resident Magistrate Florence Msekandiwana ruled that the suspect must continue to stay in police custody for five more days until investigations are concluded.

Lilongwe’ s prominent lawyer Donvan Silungwe is representing Chakwera’s guard in the matter.

As investigations continue, police believe that Kaphamtengo has the body parts somewhere but he is pretending that he was lying.

According to a police report, Kamphamtengo, 41, was apprehended following a tip that he was selling body parts of a person with albinism.

Chakwera recently  dared that once voted into power, he will end the abductions and killings of persons with albinism within a month.

He challenged President Peter Mutharika to put an end to killings and abductions of persons with albinism in the country.

Since November 2014, the number of reported crimes against people with albinism in Malawi has risen to 152, including 25 murders and more than 10 people missing, according to Association of People with Albinism (Apam).

As part of the National Action Plan (NAP)  to protect those living with albinism, government is on a crackdown on perpetrators and according to police sources, more arrests are looming.

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38 replies on “Nation newspaper apologises for article on ‘Chakwera’s aide nabbed’: Court refuses bail to guard Kamphantego”

  1. You so called MCP supporter you are so stupid don’t fool people here that you support mcp may be it’s my eye problem I don’t see any sentence written _chakwera hired an expensive lawyer_ do now this is your end no idea left in you

  4. Bravo Nyasatimes for standing up for the truth without fear or favour as always…

    No smoke without fire, ofunika kumufinya kwabasi.

    What’s very disturbing is how has he afforded a big shot lawyer if he is just a mere security guard?

    Is chakwera paying? If so why? What is he trying to hide?

  5. Clear DPP machinations and propaganda. You are losing the elections and you are so gittered up. Cooking stories to arrest Chakwera. Dare make that mistake. U will not contain MCP.

  6. THIS IS WHAT WE CALL VERY CHEAP POLITICAL PROPAGANDA FROM ” ANA A DAD”.WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM ANA A DAD OKALAMBA , AT 80 YRS OLD WITH A SEEMINGLY DULL RUNNING MATE WHO CANNOT EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE IN THE QUEENS LANGUAGE.
    THE SO CALLED EXPENSIVE LAWYER SILUNGWE WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DEFEND, HIS DUTY WILL JUST BE TO EMBARRASS AND UNDRESS THE INVESTIGATING POLICE TEAM.THE INVESTIGATION ITSELF IS A TOTAL WASTE OF OUR TAX MONEY DPP TEAM.

  7. The truth is the man works for Chakwera as a guard,, and the truth is that he has not mentioned that he is being sent by Chakwera to do this. He is 41 years and knows what is good or bad. He did this own his own. I wonder why people you are accusing DPP , yet the guys has confessed he is a guard or security Aide of Chakwera and it is true he is picked by the law enforcers. Chakwera has been challenging the government on albino killing , not knowing the killer is sitting at his house. Stop involving DPP government in this.

    1. The truth is that he doesn’t work for Chakwera. Chakwera doesn’t live in Area 10. None of Chakwera’s guards has been arrested. Chakwera has never had any guard by that name. Nation apologized after gathering these facts. MCP may sue Nation wide Ltd. Nyasatimes took the story from Nation online and they are sticking to it while the original source of the story has now disowned it and removed it. Doesn’t that sound questionable?

      That’s where DPP comes in.

  8. The propaganda can not stick on MCP President no more . Choyipa chizikutsatani nokha. Osadabwa that is the only President running without a criminal record wena waja treason charge (mid night 6) ilipamusana wawo.

  9. It is sad that the Reverend I have respected for a long time is now being involved in such acts. I am afraid he may not make it on May 21 and this will mark another turning point for him to one more time look to the Lord in heaven for forgiveness and restoration.

  10. Pafufuzidwe mokwanila pamenepa. Kodi ndichifukwa chiani Chakwela wapeza loya ngati nkhaniyi sikumukhudza? Nkhaniyi ndiyoona ndipo inalikukhoti lero. Munthuyu afinyidwe mokwanira ndipo chilungamo chidziwika. Nation Publication mukulolera kuopsezedwa chifukwa chanji? Still praying for the peace of my country. God is at work and everyone behind this scandle will be exposed and convicted accordingly. God bless Malawi

  12. I see no reason for NPL to apologise,,, that the convict is chakwera ‘ s guard is a fact as indicated in his own police statement. Apologising for that is just showing their lowness

  13. DPP does not want Chakwera to talk about Albino Killings .Fact.DPP will Try to Go Down with Everyone.Fact.DPP will not want People to talk about mysterious Death of Suspects in Albino killings .Fact.A drowning Man is Dangerous… money will Change Hands .Koma Mwalephera.

  15. Nyasa times remember that this country attained democracy. These things you are saying fact, fact ,fact will bite you tomorrow mark my words.

    1. Akulu zoti munthu wamangidwa nzoona, zoti ali ku police nzoona zoti amukanidza bail nzoona, zoti wanena kuti amagwira ntchito kwa chakwera nzoona. When they are saying fact they mean it’s documented. This story is on maravipost, malawi24, nyasatimes, nation newspaper. So it’s not that press cooked up the story, Don’t intimidate people, iyi sinthawi ya youth or young pioneer. Mukafuna kuthana ndi munthu mukathane ndi omangidwayo osati olemba.

  17. Aleke Banda wanted to finish off MCP by grabbing the Press Trust. He failed. When you do something bad things, bad things will always follow you. How can a paper like the Nation write such an article. Do bones belonging to people with albinism differ from other bones? How did the Nation verify that the bones were of a person with albinism? What was the name of the person? This is reporting without professionalism.

    1. Mukazamva kupanda nzeru ndiye uku. Anthu onse amagwidwa ndi mafupa albino who ascertain these bones to justify that they are for albinos?

  18. Well nyasatimes you don’t owe anyone an apology. These are facts and the story is true. Whoever intimidated National news paper to withdraw, must not come to you with force to withdraw. If Chakwera is innocent, why hiring an expensive lawyer to represent his guard? He knew what he meant when he said, he will end the barbaric act in a month once voted into power. Amadziwa kuti dzinthuzi akupanga yekha ndi azilonda ake.

    1. have you seen the bones yourself? if so then Police need to question you more as you seem to be part of the syndicate

    2. I am DPP but feels as a party we are runnung short of ideas. How can Dausi fool the whole DPP that Malawians will beleive this foolish tactic??? Shame on my DPP. Malawians have knowledge and information now

    3. I think you have failed to follow the story. The story has a lot of flaws. In the first place, Chakwera has no house in Area 10, does not live in Area 10 and has never lived in Area 10. Chakwera does not have a guard answering to that name. None of Chakwera’s guards has been arrested by police. They didn’t find the purported body parts at the man’s house. The police charged the man with ‘fabricating news’ likely to cause breach of peace. Now, why not charge him on suspected human body parts dealing according to his own testimony. Again, a fabrication is a lie. He lied against who? Against Chakwera.

      In your wisdom, what do you make of this story?

      No one threatened Nation Publications, but they have realised their unprofessional conduct. If the guard said he works for Chakwera in Area 10 and not Area 6 where Chakwera lives, then he surely doesn’t know his boss or the police should just take him to point at the house where he works. How difficult is that? Don’t journalists know where Chakwera lives?

      Nyasatimes took the story from Nation online. They added spices to the story which are not there on the Nation online page and they’re an exaggeration. And now they’re adamant that they will stick to their distorted version of the Nation online version. You can also ask yourself what their motive is. Do you really believe the nyasatimes version that Chakwera hired a lawyer to bail out a man whom he doesn’t even know? By the way, how can a mere guard afford a lawyer?

      Let the police and the courts unveil the truth, but it is very very very clear that Chakwera is nowhere in the equation.

  19. Are you saying police have told you that Kaphamtengo is hiding the parts somewhere?

    Media strategy for Chakwera’s opponents is failing here. Do you really think Chakwera will lose votes based on this story?

    Propaganda must have appearance of truth. This story has been a complete disaster.

    1. Very disappointing but not surprising. Chisi has got no ambition, no plans rather than bootlicking Peter the Crazy Professor for personal gains. Such so called professors have no place in political spheres. He is just one of the many failures who thought Malawians would vote for them just because they have a name on the ballot box. A reall idiot.!!!!

    2. Ine Chakwera will not get My vote until he comes out in the open and clarify

      1. Why he employed this guy.
      2. Whether he knew about the bones.
      3. Why he is paying for an expensive lawyer.
      4. If he knows about the bones why he did not report to the police.
      5. Where the market is / who else is in the business.(if he is involved of course)

      This is a very sensitive issue, Chakwera should just come out in the open..
      Paja amakonda ma press conference!
      We need clarity

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