The Mponela First Grade Magistrate Court has sentence 49 year old man Lackson Billiat to 36 months Imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL) for sodomizing a 14 year old boy who also happens to be epileptic.
According to Mponela Police Deputy Public Relations Officer Sergeant Macpatson Msadala, the court through state prosecutor Gladys Jentala heard that the victim was playing with his brother in the presence of his mother when he tightly held his young brothers arm in a way that he was hurting him.
When the mother jumped in to stop him, the victim said that he wanted to teach his brother how to have sexual intercourse through the anus just as he did with the suspect.
“The response prompted the mother to question the victim more about it. The victim explained to his mother that Billiat did this to him in a maize field and that it had happened three times” he said.
The victim was later taken to Mponela Police station from where he was referred to Mponela Rural Hospital for testing and the findings proved that the 14 year old was indeed defiled.
Billiat pleaded not guilty to the charge of sodomy, a charge contrary to section 153 (A) of the penal code. The state prosecutor therefore called in three witnesses to testify and the suspect was convicted.
The state prosecutor asked the court to pass a stiff punishment to the offender to deter other would be offenders and First Grade Magistrate Yohane Nkhata sentenced the convict to 36 months IHL.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has officially launched the campaign period for the July 2 fresh presidential election five days before receiving nomination papers from the aspiring candidate with calls to political parties to develop innovative ways of reaching out to the electorate amid the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and social distancing measures.
MEC chairperson Justice Jane Ansah SC explained that the campaign period is being launched before receiving nomination papers scheduled for May 6 and 7 at Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre because Section 57 of the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act provides that the period of official campaign in public shall be 60 days, ending 48 hours before start of polling.
The official campaign period for the fresh presidential elections will run from May 2, 2020 and end on June 30, 2020 at 6 AM.
“It is not in conflict of any provision of the law that the period of official campaign in public is commencing before the nominations.
“In accordance with Section 48 paragraph (b) of the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act, the 1st polling day must then be a day not less than 21 days after the nomination day or last nomination day.
Jane Ansah and MEC launching
“This clearly means that campaign period does not necessarily have to commence after nominations all the time. According to the law, the nomination days and period of campaign may overlap.”
Considering that the campaign period will be done during the virus pandemic, Ansah asks all candidates to find other innovative ways to of reaching out to the electorate while observing the various public health guidelines and restrictions that are in place.
“All candidates and political parties are expected to follow proper procedures especially the COVID-19 preventative measures when booking venues and notifying the Police,” Ansah said.
“The campaign period is, therefore, a defining moment for all political parties and their candidates. It will be especially challenging in the era of COVID-19 as they have to come up with innovative means of reaching out to the electorate with their messages,” she said.
She has reminded all candidates and political parties that they signed to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates and the commission expect them to abide by it.
“During this period, all Malawians are looking forward to an issue- based campaign as well as one that is safe and will not spread the Coronavirus further.
“Please tell the electorate the substance of your manifesto and not focus on castigations and hate speech,” Ansah advised.
She reminded the candidates, political parties, supporters and all stakeholders that MEC will be monitoring all campaign activities to ensure compliance during the campaign period and that I n accordance with the law, all public officers and government agencies — including traditional leaders — are expected to treat all candidates equally and give them all the support.
“…The era for taking the campaign period as an opportunity or instrument to harass, humiliate, demonise, defame, intimidate and repress political opposition is over.
“If a candidate or political party is associated with this, they should be cautious because it has tendency to rebound. Parties and candidates have the responsibility to seriously address real issues, elaborate their manifesto, so that voters should judge them based on their ideas and on how they would resolve problems facing our nation today.”
“In this campaign, we stress that our politicians should emphasise on physical distance, above average hygiene standards, electoral tolerance and leverage on issue-based campaigns.
“The obvious lack of issue-based campaigns among our politicians, is a source of serious concern. Malawians are looking forward to campaigns that will transform their lives and livelihood.
“They want to see campaigns that will consolidate and strengthen our democracy beyond individualism, ethnicity and regionalism.”
She encouraged Malawians to get themselves informed of the manifestos of various political parties and candidates, saying that a sound manifesto should articulate achievable programmes that will enhance the development of the country and improve people’s well-being.
This, she said, will enable “the electorate to decide to vote for the party or candidate that has a programme which is best for the nation”.
“Another area of serious concern is the manner in which political parties and candidates have at times abused the youths of this country. We have seen politicians sponsoring the youths to indulge in violence, disrupt political rallies and doing other unpalatable things.
“This is unacceptable and must be arrested forthwith. The youths have a noble role to play in the country as leaders and must never be abused.
“They should be given positions and not sent on disruptive errands for opponents’ meetings.”
On the role of the Police and all security institutions, Ansah expects — as usual — for them to ensure a conducive political environment, saying if they do not perform their duties professionally, that can easily erode the efforts of all other stakeholders to achieving credible elections.
“Elections cannot be touted to be free and fair if they are conducted in an environment full of fear, intimidation and violence. Presence of these factors deters some eligible voters from participating in electoral processes like registration and polling.
“If elections are marred by violence, intimidation and fear, chances are high that the losing side will not accept the results.
“You will agree with me that it is one thing to lose in an election and it is another thing to lose an election marred by violence and intimidation. In such situation allegations of rigging are rife.
“What losers say after elections is also crucial in maintaining peace and order. Peace will be sustained if losers lose in a freely and fairly contested election.”
She added that it is an honest expectation of every citizen that the Police will ensure that those who commit electoral offences are brought to book and that the Police should ensure that all candidates and voters are protected.
The newly launched CFT movement headed by its commander in Chief Timothy Mtambo has opened the door for Malawians living in diaspora to get involved. The movement has launched its Diaspora branch which so far has members from the UK, Switzerland ,Germany and USA.
Speaking about the launch, the interim spokesperson for group Phyllis Chipojola confirmed the launch of the movement. “Indeed we have launched CFT movement in diaspora . Timothy Mtambo felt it necessary that Malawians in diaspora need to be actively involved in the fight to liberate and save Malawi and so far, we have hit the ground running and are accepting new members to the movement”
Chipojola went on to clarify that so far CFT has endorsed grand alliance of UTM and MCP and others. “We want people to know that this is a movement, its not a political party, we are bringing together like-minded people whose motive so far is to see DPP out of power. It is for this reason that the movement is open to members of the other parties as long as their stand at the moment is to see change in Malawi”.
The diaspora CFT has set up a committee which is currently being headed by Linda Khembo-Nwosu on an interim basis. In welcoming the diaspora movement Timothy Mtambo, has expressed his gratitude and appreciation for those in diaspora that have so far joined the movement and adopted the transformative agenda of the people power movement.
“People are so in love with the movement, this is a people’s movement. CFT has so far been in the Norther region setting up structures and we will soon be in the Centre and south and the diaspora involvement is timely and welcomed” read the statement from Mtambo.
The Covid-19 disease cases in Malawi have risen from 36 to 37 following the newly declared case a while ago from Mzuzu.
Minister of health Hon. Jappie Mhango has announced that an additional case has been identified in Mzuzu as 40 year old Malawian man who was on quarantine after traveling to Tanzania has tested positive of the virus known as Corona.
Looking at the way the disease has-been spreading in Malawi, it is clear that had it been all the borders if this country were closed, there could have been no case of Covid-19 as of April 30, 2020, as almost all except one case are as a result of cross border infections. But until this minute it is not known why the state decided to close institutions like schools and put very strict measures within the country while keeping the borders doing business as usual.
The today’s case in Mzuzu has brought the total COVID-19 Cases to 37, with 3 deaths, 7 recoveries and 27 still positive.
The Malawian community in the UK have yet again faced another sad moment . It has been reported that a Medical Doctor based in the city of Manchester, Dr Austin Gunda has succumbed to the virus .
Dr Austin Gunda
According to report reaching us Dr Gunda was admitted a few days ago . His condition worsened and he was put on the ventilator as he was having breathing difficulties. He finally died in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Dr Gunda was well known among the Malawi community. He was a general Practitioner. Details of his funeral are yet to be announced
The UK has been one of the worst hit countries with over 22000 people dead so far .
