The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) is warning the public that it is against the law to possess, distribute and transmit pornographic material in the country.
In a statement, MACRA urges all Malawians that while exercising their freedom of online communication, they should be mindful of the laws governing the same.
MACRA says the laws include the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act, 2016, specifically section 24 (2) and section 85.
“Anyone violating the law is liable to a fine of K10 million. The law also provides for imprisonment for 15 years for committing any of the following acts: Production of pornographic material for the purpose of its distribution through a computer system and reproduction of pornographic material for the purpose of its distribution through an information system,” reads the statement in part.
MACRA adds that offering or making available any pornographic material through an information system will lead to the prosecution of the perpetrators.
Two men are in police custody for allegedly stealing aluminum wires belonging to the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) in Chiradzulu district.
Chiradzulu Police spokesperson Innocent Moses has identified the two as Milson Chikapusa, aged 22 and Victor Arnold aged 19.
According to Moses, the two committed the offence on March 3, 2022 at Montfort area under Traditional Authority Likoswe in the district.
Moses says the police arrested the suspects after being tipped by communities, who found them cutting ESCOM transformer aluminum wires in the bush.
He told the told the press that all the stolen property has been recovered and the suspects will be taken to court this week.
In the similar development, Police have also arrested four criminals for vandalism of an ESCOM transformer and subsequent theft of its copper wire at Andiamo in Balaka district.
Trap artist Charisma has collaborated with South Africa’s hip-hop star Mthembeni Ndevu, known in music circles as ‘Emtee’ on a new song titled ‘Move’.
Initially the Lilongwe based artist had announced that he would release the song on Monday March 7, 2022 but he changed his mind and released the song on Sunday evening for the reasons not well explained by the ‘Kubanda’ hit-maker.
The song which has been produced by Henwood is expected to be one of the most downloaded songs this month as it is already topping charts in local music websites.
This is not the first time that the 29-year-old South African star has worked with a local artist as he once worked with Gwamba on two songs namely ‘Uzoyimela’ and ‘Own Time’.
Blantyre Chief Resident Magistrate Jean Kaira has dismissed an application by Forum for National Development- FNDand another person to commence a criminal trial against Martha Chizuma, Director General of Anti-Corruption Bureau.
The organisation wanted the court to issue summons compelling Chizuma to appear before the court over a leaked audio conversation between her and an unknown male person.
FND and a person known as Rashid Nembo filed three charges against Chizuma which are that the ACB director revealed official information an unauthorized person, making use of a speech capable of prejudicing against a party to a judicial review and making a speech calculated to lower the authority of a person.
ACB Director, Martha Chizuma
However, Chief Resident Magistrate Jean Kaira has refused to grant permission to prosecute to Micheal Goba Chipeta -lawyer for FND and Nembo saying he does not have powers to do private prosecution without following the legally stipulated procedures.
“There is no correspondence or engagement with the Director of Public Prosecution. In this court’s considered view therefore ,it would be unreasonable to assure that the DPP has not assisted the two complainants herein.I am therefore reluctant to grant prosecutorial powers to Counsel.” the ruling said.
Kaira also also found FND and Nembo for abusing the court process.
According to Kaira, the case was first filed before Senor Resident Magistrate Msekandiana in Lilongwe but it was dismissed after the magistrate faulted Chipeta for failing to present the complainants in court for examination as required by the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code.
She further said after the case was dismissed the case was brought before the Chief Resident Magistrate Court instead of appealing at the High Court.
In an interview with MIJ Online, in reaction to the ruling, Fryson Chodzi, one of the members of FND said the organization has already filed for judicial review on the ruling.
According to Chodzi, FND’s lawyer was not asking for prosecutorial powers but was just reporting a case.
He further said the grouping is not only targeting Chizuma.
“If I may ask who is this other person, that’s the whole reason why we are saying that she must be invited to make a disclosure ,who is this other person, because we can not know who this other person its until the director makes a disclosure. She knows who she was talking to. We cannot keep on guessing “.Chodzi said.
Civil Service United have announced the signing of Flames and former Nyasa Big Bullets shot-stopper Ernest Kakhobwe.
The club’s general secretary Ronald Chiwaula confirmed the development on Sunday saying Kakhobwe has signed with the team on an open-ended contract.
Kakhobwe alongside defender Miracle Gabeya who is now at Mighty Wanderers, became free agents after failing to reach an agreement with the Peoples team over a signing on fee.
The two were left out of Bullets’ final 30-man squad for this year’s football season which kicks-off next weekend.
Kakhobwe
Meanwhile the Lilongwe outfit is expected to unveil Kakhobwe on Monday at the club’s headquarters.
Bullets fans have since expressed mixed reactions on social media over Kakhobwe’s exit with some disappointed with the exit as some feels it is the right time for other goalkeepers to shine.
In readiness for the forthcoming TNM super league season, Bullets registered three goalkeeper namely Rabson Chienda, Richard Chimbamba and Clever Mkungula who has just been promoted from the Reserve side.
