UN ‘dismisses’ Trapence, Sembereka case: Analyst says arrest is ‘scare tactic’ by Malawi govt
The United Nations (UN) Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAids) has said there is no need for any legal action against two human rights activists Gift Trapence and Rev MacDonald Sembereka in a K7.4 million ‘purported fraud’ case, crashing the state case against the two.
Police arrested Trapence, vice-chairperson of Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) who organised the recent demonstrations against the outcome of the May 21 Tripartite Elections, and Sembereka for alleged fraud.
But a statement from UN says it regrets ‘unnecessarily involving the authorities in Malawi in its outstanding issue with the Mango Network’ and called for the release of the two, effectively ending the case against the two activists.
“UNAIDS and MANGO Network have amicably reached a resolution over the issue. UNAIDS has not engaged in any legal action and believes there is no need for any legal action. UNAIDS respectfully requests the immediate release of the two members of the Mango Network, Mr. Gift Trapence and Mr. Macdonald Sembereka, from police custody,” reads the statement in part.
The state charged Trapence and Sembereka on issues bordering on a March 2017 transaction of about K7.4 million from UNAIDS for a workshop which allegedly did not take place.
However, analysts believe the arrest of the two was government tactic to scare them off after organizing nationwide demonstrations to force beleaguered Malawi electoral Commission (Mec) Chairperson Jane Ansah to resign from her position for failure to handle the just ended may 21 tripartite elections.
Reacting to the statement form UNAIDS, legal commentators and governance expert said this means that the case against the two has ‘fallen off’.
“The state was banking on some evidence from UNAIDS and the organization says it is not interested to take the legal route and has called for the release of the two, this means the case cannot go ahead unless the state wants to charge the two with other charges other than those emanating from UNAIDS. Their continued incarceration is now against the law and they should be released immediately,” said a private practice lawyer .
Governance commentator Mankhumbo Munthali said the UN statement clearly confirms that the arrest was “politically motivated” in order to silence the two who have been in fore front organising the demonstrations demanding Ansah resignation.
“This also confirms why at the Court we didn’t have any representation from UN Family and that the Police even admitted that they came to Court without evidence. In other words, the Police lied that it was UN that complained to them to effect the arrest on the two and further the Police arrested the two without evidence,” said Munthali.
In court lawyer Khumbo Soko wondered why the State proceeded to effect arrest of the two activist without having any evidence.
Soko said this after police prosecutor Moja Phiri asked for 15-day remand for Trapence and Sembereka to allow conclusion of investigations.
He accused the State’s argument as both casual and baseless, arguing that it is wrong to accuse a person without evidence.
Soko said it is “strange” that the State allege of forged documents “but they don’t have such forged documents.”
Insiders from the United Nations family have confided in Nyasa Times that UNAIDS Representative Therese Poirier (originally from Rwanda) compromised the neutrality of the UN Office when she involved authorities that the two were operating an organisation called Mango which is not registered which got them arrested.
Insiders said Poirier is very close to the leadership of the current administration and promised the authorities to have the two activists arrested by implicating them in a purported money scam at UN AIDs.
According to the UN Charter and Staff Members Code of Conduct, the UN is expected to be apolitical, neutral and impartial.
“UN staff members cannot testify in local courts as they are covered by the Privileges and Immunities Act,” said the source.
The arrest of Trapence and Sembereka comes barely days after President Peter Mutharika, in his Independence Anniversary Celebrations speech on July 6, issued a veiled threat to his detractors whom he accused of plotting to overthrow his administration through illegal means.
Trapence is among Mutharika’s fierce critics and an advocate of human rights, governance and minority rights.
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So we are applauding thieves now? Ah OK I didn’t get the memo
shut up
The truth of the matter is that funds were stolen by the two, where we may use the word misappropriate, the funds, were not misappropriated, but stolen or cashgate in the name of allowances for the meetings that never happened. Why the money was not sent back or be in the bank of the ngo but were in the personal accounts of the two. The two stole, where we like it or not, Anaba ndithu. The Unaids don’t want to Persuade this matter but a refund so that they should not loose the money. If the matter was going to… Read more »
Eni ake a ndalamazo anabvomerezana ndi akubawo kuti apedza njira yothana ndizomwe zinachitika ndiye inu ndi Boma lanuli likuwagwira anthu oti sanatenge ndalama zanu mphamvu mwaitenga kuti? Mukuleka kuulula za ma file 7 aja bwanji?
Dziko tsogoleri akakhala dictator ndimmene zimayendera kufuna kubweletsa mantha mmitima ya wanthu Malawi Malawi Malawi shaaaaa
So just because its UN money then this is not corruption? And they were allowed to pay back what messages are you sending to us UN?
I am quite confused now to hear the report from UNaids crashing the Government of Malawi. This is so shameful now to police force.We indeed are aware these guys stole the money which is nothing compared with what has been stolen in the Government. And again the UN said they discussed and agreed to pay back!
After all when did the matter happen,2017 and who has reported the matter to police force since UN has distanced themselves that it was not any legal matter. This will be free money now to the guys in custody. Tax payers money za masiye.
When government has ran out of ideas, effects wrongful arrests. Who is the complainant here? Let’s get the corruption cases going including the files at ACB and whoever provided and tippexed votes. What about the MIE faked contract to Fattan Printers and non-delivery of the supply
If its Criminal case in this case swindling K7.4 Million, government can prosecute them without UNAIDS support but with support from UNAIDS employees who are obliged to comply
Please don’t confuse Malawians. Who informed the Malawi police about this case? What did you expect the police to do when you were bringing this case to police? If it was something that could be resolved amicably, why did it fail? Malawians are not stupid and they want to follow this up professionally because the case was brought forward to them from the concerned. If it is something that has been withdrawn, then the concerned party need to apologize to the police, the victims and to all Malawians that have followed this case. Learn to handle your internal issues without… Read more »
Nonsense goes to muwemi. You just dont know what you are writing about. TIMING IS BAD PERIOD.
This scenario reminds me of my childhood days when my father would mercilessly cut off an invading snake’s head when I would still freeze in fear at the sight of vigorous and violent twisting of the snake’s tail, beating up and down the ground, of the ‘dying’ if not already ‘dead’ snake. These dying or dead headless snake can be really good at ‘SCARE TACTICS’ to an inexperienced child’s mind.