Treason-charged Namiwa urges Mutharika to boost prison workers’ pay to stop “corruption”

Sylvester Namiwa, leader of the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), has broken his silence after being gagged by the High Court from commenting further on his earlier controversial claim of “President in two months” — revealing his organisation has written to President Peter Mutharika, urging him to use his authority to grant special allowances to prison staff.

Speaking to journalists in Lilongwe, the treason-charged CDEDI leader said better pay for prison officers could help eliminate a troubling practice in which staff allegedly demand money from inmates in exchange for basic services, warning the current situation is putting prisoners at risk.

“Apolisi ogwira ntchito mzipinda zosungirako akaidi amapempha ndalama kwa akaidi akafuna kuimbira abale awo lamya. Tidakakonda anthu amenewa atamapatsidwa ndalama zapadera monga achitira ku nyumba ija yachifumu,” Namiwa said, alleging that prison officers demand payment from inmates simply to allow them to make phone calls to relatives, and calling for staff to be given special allowances similar to those provided at State House.

Namiwa further called on institutions such as the Ombudsman and Parliament to launch a thorough investigation into conditions across Malawi’s prisons, warning that severe overcrowding was being driven partly by the detention of individuals who, in his view, should not be behind bars at all.

During the press briefing, Namiwa produced a letter he said had been sent by inmates at Maula Prison, where he himself was previously held.

The letter reportedly thanked the President for reducing their sentences by one year, while also raising concerns over ongoing hardships faced by prisoners at the facility.