No obstruction to justice, let DPP  ‘thieves’ return what they stole – HRDC

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC)  and commentators have said the  Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), ousted from power after the June 23 fresh presidential election, should not claim political persecution on the arrest of law breakers within its rank and file, saying the law enforcers should go ahead to pounce on DPP politicians on wrongful self-enrichment.

HRDC chairperson Gift Trapence  reacting to what DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi told reporters that   senior members and leaders of DPP are targeted for  arrest  in what he described as “sheer vengeance”.

But Trapence  and commentator Stanley Onjezani Kenani said is Dausi wants to paint all corruption cases as political witchunt should be ignored.

“If this [Tonse Alluance] government does not take decisive action on corruption, we will declare  total war on it,” he wrote on Facebook.

On his part, Trapence said Dausi claims are simply a scheme to pre-empt  obvious pending arrests of its members who plundered public funds and are now living in fear.

“They know the arrests are eminent. What they are doing is obstruction to justice, let they return what they stole,” Trapence said.

President Lazraus Chakwera in 2017 —while serving as a leader of opposition in Parliament—  gave a speech in the House in which he branded  former president Peter Mutharika  as “a Prince of Thieves” presiding over the most corrupt administration in recent history, has prompted a barrage of reactions from several pro-government activists.

The ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokesperson the Reverend Maurice Munthali, said DPP  stole public funds and the best they can do is to return what they stole.

Munthali warned that the Tonse Alliance administration would leave no stone unturned, warning that the law would catch up with anyone, regardless of their position or party affiliation.

“If people stole, if they killed, or committed any other offences, they must be prepared to reap what they sow. In a situation where an accused returns what was stolen, it demonstrates a degree of remorse and the law takes care of that when sentencing such people in a situation where a conviction is secured,” he said.

President Chakwera  has already moved to tackle Malawi’s pressing problems of corruption and patronage, by dissolving the boards of 67 of the country’s 100 parastatals to tackle corruption and suspending government contracts, pending audits.

Parastatal jobs have traditionally been reserved for ruling party loyalists and cronies and so Chakwera’s move backed his promise of a government for all.

The suspension of contracts was “aimed at ensuring corruption-free and fair contract management and prudence in public financial management.”