Police makes another HRDC arrest: Trapence in, Mtambo at large

Malawi police has made a second arrest of Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) vice chairpersons Gift Trapence who joins executive member Reverend Macdonald Sembereka in custody barely hours after President Peter Mutharika warned at a political rally in Blantyre that he will deal with the grouping for their plans to make Malawi ungovernable.

HRDC spokesperson Luke Tembo has confirmed that Trapence and Sembereka have been picked by police.

Tembo said the law enforcement agency is still looking for HRDC chairperson Timothy Mtambo who is reporting at large.

According to Tembo there are no charges yet but he has received information that police are planning to transfer the two to Blantyre.

The arrest comes after HRDC announced to stage protests at State House.

At the rally in Blantyre  President Mutharika challenged HRDC members not to dare come close to the State House on May 25, 2020.

He said the police will deal with them if they dare.

Mutharika said HRDC chairperson Mtambo and other members Trapence, Sembereka and Billy Mayaya are not bigger than government.

“Be warned, your time is up, the party is over, get up and smell the coffee,” Mutharika charged.