Amidst a wave of protests, in March 2020, Malawi Police arrested HRDC’s MacDonald Sembereka, Gift Trapence, and later Timothy Mtambo for inciting people to seal the State Residences on 25th March 2020. This offense was in violation of section 124 of the penal code which prohibits any person to incite or solicit another to break any law.
Before the case progressed much, the activists were granted bail and through his legal counsel Timothy Mtambo asked the prosecution team to discontinue the case.
Fast-forward to April 2024, Comrade Timothy Mtambo, now former Cabinet Minister under Tonse Alliance, and Leader of a People Power Movement dubbed CFT, resurfaces in the local media on activism business.
While at it, comrade Mtambo has apparently sued government for the 2020 arrest, claiming that it was unlawful.
Malawians should be worried here because Mtambo requested for the discontinuation of the case – which was granted – meaning the case stopped to exist.
And four years later, he appears before the same prosecution authorities (which is largely the same 2020 team) – and sues government for an unlawful arrest.
Another fishy development is that the actual case file has reportedly grew wings. Police files are government records and are supposed to be kept for a minimum period of seven years.
One would not be wrong to actually conclude that all these activities now, including the lawsuit against Government is a syndicate to siphon tax payers’ money.
This must be scrutinized and sufficiently challenged!
