State House implicated in suspension of journalist
State House is implicated in the suspension of one of the senior reporters at Nation Publications Limited, Taonga Sabola.
Details Nyasa Times has gathered are that State House has been using Sabola as its spy at the newspaper company.
Sources confided in us that hell broke loose two weeks ago when State House wanted a reporter for a function in Peter Mutharika’s constituency where his brother’s Bingu Silver Grey Foundation was donating items to the elderly.
Nyasa Times sources said the company assigned Caroline Somanje to the function and Peter’s personal assistant Ben Phiri went to the company and picked her. On the way, said one source, Phiri told Somanje that he had information that she was a supporter of the opposition and doubted if she would write a story from the function.
“That annoyed Somanje and on her return she reported to the paper’s management. As the management started probing the matter, Somanje received a call from Phiri telling her that State House received a call from the reporter at Nation complaining that Phiri was exposing him and would put him into trouble,” the source said.
Phiri revealed the name of Sabola as the one having links with State House. Our source said NPL management summoned Sabola and suspended him.
“It is risky to have spies in the newsroom because reporters can be attacked easily,” the source said.
Another source said State House would look for another spy.
“We want these spies to help us with information about stories being pursued in the week on daily basis. It is nice to have spies, don’t you think so?” the source said.
The source added that State House is aware of reporters at the company who are just interested in writing bad about the government.
