The Chikwawa magistrate court has today convicted and ordered a 25-year-old Christopher Mbewe to pay a fine of K400,000 or in default spend eight months in jail for sharing nude pictures of his girlfriend on social media in May this year after a disagreement.
According to State Prosecutor for Chikwawa Police Station, Sub Inspector Emmanuel Namarwa, the behavior Mbewe portrayed is inhumane and that it brought trauma to the victim considering that the pictures were also sent to the girl’s father.
In his mitigation, Mbewe asked for leniency indicating that he is a university student and first offender, but the court agreed with the prosecution and handed the sentence.
Mbewe who hails from Julius Village Traditional Authority(TA) Katunga in Chikwawa is yet to pay the fine.
He is now being kept at Chikwawa Prison.
Sharing of nude pictures is an offense contrary to Section 87 of the Electronic Transcation Act.
Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale has assured Malawians that preparations for the 2023/2024 Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) is at an advanced stage as government has finalised with bidding and evaluation processes for 15 companies that are set to supply fertiliser across the country.
The Minister made the sentiments in an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Saturday amid media reports regarding the East Bridge fertiliser deal.
The company has dismissed fears of fraud saying it (the company) is taking the risk as it is not taking upfront payment from the government of Malawi.
“So far, what has remained is a no objection from Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) and after that we will be signing contracts in a week or two.
Agriculture Minister Hon Sam Kawale
“By the end of this month we are going to have a whole lot of fertiliser in the country and in July and August we will just be planning for logistics,” Kawale said.
He said, this year, government has planned AIP in four categories of those under social cash transfer such as the elderly and those with disabilities, those under Public Works Program, those on actual AIP program and those under Agriculture Commercialisation.
The Minister said Agriculture Commercialisation is one big side of investment where government has allocated over K265 billion towards the programme.
In the agriculture commercialisation programme, beneficiaries would be those who take farming as business and venture into big agricultural mechanisation, such as crop production and livestock farming, among others.
On East Bridge deal, the Minister said Malawi is set to benefit from the deal because more forex will be generated which will, in turn, boost the economy.
“The deal will, among others, save forex as this is a commodity exchange which means no forex will be used to pay for fertiliser because we are currently unable to pay for adequate fertiliser due to shortage of forex.
“This will also help supply of 600,000 metric tons of fertilisers which will be enough to supply fertiliser to Malawi for two years and in turn help farmers have access to fertiliser all year round,” said Kawale
He said the country stands to save US$498 million from the fertiliser deal with East Bridge whose money will be used in other equally important development projects.
Kawale said, furthermore, the deal will help open international markets because East Bridge will buy produce from Malawi at an international price which would be higher than local prices hence more forex.
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has removed Senior Chief Kalumo of Ntchisi district from his position on allegation that he has been failing to discharge his duties diligently.
According to a notice letter from the President to Chief Kalumo, real name Yohane Ndudu, Chakwera has removed Ndudu in pursuant to powers vasted in him by Laws of Malawi, Chapter 22:03 Section II of the Chiefs Act.
Yohane Ndudu
The President has since then asked the loyal family to choose another heir to the throne.
Ndudu took his office in February 2014 amidst protests and court injunctions.
Member of Parliament aspirants of Lilongwe south east Constituency Josephy Chasweka said he is intended to improve the livelihoods of the youths rather to stay idle.
Speaking after donating footballs at Chilinde primary school ground to the youths, Chasweka said there are many youths who are just idle which leads them to indulge into bad behaviors such as smoking and drinking beer everyday.
He said:” So as an aspirant MP I thought it wise that I should engage these youths to do some activities, so my donation of balls is to keep the youths busy so that they can altleast concentrate on something positive rather than leading on the destructive life.”
Chasweka: I have a big task to do for the people
Chasweka further said he is geared to to go to Parliament to represent the people of the Lilongwe south east Constituency come 2025 to awake the development projects that has been stagnant for the past three to four years ago and also to improve the the livelihoods of the elderly, people with disabilities and as far as the youths is concerned.
He said:” they are so many things which i would like to improve which our friends have done but they are have not done it accordingly.So I have to take over from where they have done so that we can improve the livelihoods of the people around the Constituency, so I have a big task to do for the people around this Constituency.
On his remarks Ambassadors football club captain Noel Banda hailed the aspirant MP for coming up with a brilliant donation that will help the sustainability of their team.
On his part block leader of the area James Batani commend the aspirant for the donation which will minimise the bad behaviours of the youths in his area through keeping themselves busy at the ground playing football games.
The aspirant donate balls worth K450,000 to three teams namely The Ambassadors, Tigwirane Manja and Chilinde Warriors football clubs.
