SA businessman in deportation fiasco back in Malawi: Dausi, Immigration chief face court rap
Blantyre-based South African businessperson Wayne Thomas James.at the heart of an immigration wrangle flew back in the country on Tuesday via Chileka Airport in Blantyre where he was welcomed by his wife and three children.
The businessman, who runs Affordable Aluminium, an aluminium frame fabrication company in Blantyre, was unceremoniously deported two weeks ago after Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi and Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services director general Masauko Medi issued a deportation order.
According to the 41-year-old James, he was abducted from his home on the evening of 11 January by eight plain-clothed men driving Immigration Department vehicles.
“They didn’t come with any documentation and I requested to see their IDs but they refused. I complied and I told them that if you want me to come with you, I have no issue but I need a copy of your ID so that I show my wife so that she knows who I’m going with, but they refused,” James said.
He added: “If it was legal immigration issues, they should have served me with papers and we would have complied. My lawyer also came in and they refused to give him any identification.”
James was then held overnight at Chilomoni Police Station where he was denied access to his wife and lawyer.
At 6 am the next morning, he was put on a plane and flown out to O.R Tambo Airport in South Africa.
According to James, he was deported for being a threat to public safety.
But he denies all the charges and claims that it is all a conspiracy.
“I am an honest businessman; I pay my taxes and I employ over 40 people. I have done nothing illegal. We have called Malawi for the past 9 years; it will be difficult to just up and leave. We consider the people that work with us as family. All we want is justice to prevail,” he told NyasaTimes.
His lawyer Kuleza Phokoso noted that he is glad that the court had served his client justice.
“We are very happy that the rule of law has prevailed. We have utmost confidence in the judiciary that it does the thing. We are a nation that abides by its laws of due laws. Every person has rights under the constitution and those right have to be protected by the courts and they have to receive treatment that is consistent with those rights.
“So, wen he was deported, and the court saw that this deportation was irregular; it had to issue an order to allow him to have his day in court so we were very happy. And when there were further attempts to block him into coming back to Malawi, we also went back to the same courts who now ordered that he be allowed to come back and also those who were in the forefront of blocking his coming back do get the necessary sanctions and necessary procedural punishments by the courts. So, we were very happy that the rule of law has prevailed,” he said.
James and his wife, among others, own Affordable Glass and Aluminum Company in Blantyre which they sold and they are fighting with the buyers over payments.
The case is coming for full trial in March this year
. Dausi and Medi could not immediately comment.
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But is that fair? at least you could have produced IDs and later on necessary papers. Remember, we all have rights that has to be respected.
This issue of just waking up push civil servants to push your way has to stop. As a country, we need to reach a point when a professional should dare a politician if pushed the compromise your ethical standards. People like Dausi will put in the trouble and leave you alone! People have to know that!
Padangotelo! Tilitonse!! padangotelo, tilitonse!!. Padali munthu wina, tilitonse. that’s how this story sounds
Dausi slowly digging his own grave
That lawyers name, is it Kuleza or Kuletsa Phokoso? Just wondering..
This is an act of stupidity from the govt officials. If this guy wins then the taxpayer loses.
Dausi thawiyako yatha nawe zikubw3era anthu akubweretsa citukuko iwe ukuwathamangitsa ana adadizikuvutaniwe now trust our judicially please be with this man honestly
Well done to the courts! You have done us proud. These thugs must not get away with theft. #4th state #New Malawi
If what we are reading about the deportation of Mr James; collected by people who allegedly could not identify themselves and did not show any documentation justifying the deportation is, in my view, a blot on Malawi’s name as a Country that abides by the rule of law.
It will be very interesting to hear what evidence is produced in court.
Malawi must not become a police state where the people live in fear as we did in all those dark years ago! No!