One arrested as Malawi Police hunt for gang of thugs after destroying Bingu’s mausoleum: ‘Mpumulo wa Bata’
Malawi Police say they are following positive lines of enquiry following a deplorable wanton destruction of former President Bingu wa Muntharika’s Ndata Farm at the mausoleum Mpumulo wa Bata or “Peaceful Rest” that has shocked the family.
Police has since arrested one suspect arrested 18-year-old boy, suspected to be mentally disturbed, Ernest Mayaya Wailesi from Mitabali Village in Traditional Authority Chimaliro in Thyolo District
He has been charged him with two counts: tampering with a graveyard and malicious damage.
In the meantime, police have stepped up a combination of high visibility and plain clothes patrols around Ndata Farm in a bid to deter thugs.
Police National spokesperson Nicolas Gondwa said investigation are being carried out.
According to press reports, thugs broke into the imposing Mpumulo wa Bata mausoleum where Muntharika was laid to rest next to his first wife Ethel in a huge white marble mausoleum called Taj Mahal.
Thugs destroyed six portraits of the Muntharika, two serving bowls, two drawers, window glasses, curtains, picture frames and other valuables.
The sprawling Ndata Farm also has a 54-bedroom house called Villa Casa Blanca.
Late Bingu wa Mutharika was born Ryson Webster Thom in 1934.
The schoolmaster’s son changed it to Bingu Mutharika during the 1960s as pan-Africanism swept across the continent.
He added the prefix “wa” to disguise his identity from Malawi’s first ruler Hastings Kamazu Banda’s state security agents, who were hunting down his opponents around the world.
A former economist, Mr Mutharika was credited for revitalising a moribund agricultural sector during his first term.
That recovery was short-lived, however, and both his terms in office were mired in controversy.
He was criticised for mismanaging the economy and stifling political and press freedoms.
The late Bingu died of a cardiac arrest on April 5 2012 and was buried at the mausoleum on April 23 2012.
Malawi’s current President, Peter Mutharika, is a younger brother to Bingu.
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ndiye mwamanga mentally disturbed guy and charge him hahahaha!! pa Malawi
For whatever reason this act simply adds to the already existing financial woos we are currently facing. A malawi tiyeni tiziganiza mothandiza kukonza dziko lathu
I have been privileged to have visited Casa Blanca; nyumba ilibe zipinda zimene mukunenazo. Even 10 sizinakwane. In fact personally, I found it to be poorly planned inside apart from the fact it has interesting wood and furniture. I would rate Goodall’s mansion higher. Remember the deal that these guys had saw the chinese company building mansions for Bingu, Goodall and Chimunthu (I suspect as a thank you for the city centre and MUST projects.
Who are thugs between Muthalika and the accused? If it were in progressive States,surely,his Mausoleum could have been brought down and the thug buried as any Malawian citizen.Afterall,where did he get all that money he misused while national citizens were starving,in hospitals there were no medicines,medical workers were not paid in time and indeed,the nation was thrown under the bus.Comeon sleepy Malawians.It is also a shameless lie to suggest that he changed his name from Ryson Webster to escape Banda’s indignation during the country’s 1964 political tulmutous trend.afterall,he was a non-entity’s figure in political circles,Banda didn’t even recognize him,the guy… Read more »
tiwona mmene zithere
Did Peter Mutharika also change his surname from Thom to Mutharika? What was the main reason behind this change of names? Can Peter confirm this?
During the Colonial era thus in Nyasaland, the Masters encouraged people to use English first names and the first names of their fathers became their surnames. This is to say if your father was James Chimbiya and your name was Peter, then you would be called Peter James. This changed in the Republic of Malawi to Peter Chimbiya.
Shame Malawi government can arrest a mentally retarded person instead of taking them to a mental hospital. Malawi is a failed state indeed
komanso reporting a muheya, we all know they are brothers. Inu munene za kubazo basi tidziwe. I passed thru that area in 2013 indeed the fence was destroyed and the guards who were at the main gate were in slippers zomvetsa chisoni.