Opposition leader Dr. George Chaponda has condemned the treatment of Rumphi East Parliamentarian Kamlepo Kalua, who was arrested and handcuffed from Blantyre to Lilongwe.
Chaponda, who visited Kalua in police custody, said: “He spoke of being driven from Blantyre to Lilongwe in handcuffs, denied basic rights, and treated like a common criminal.”
Kalua recounted his ordeal, saying: “They came for me in the dead of night, like thieves in the darkness. No time to ask questions, just brute force and intimidation.”
Chaponda expressed outrage and shame at the treatment of Kalua, saying: “How could we, as a nation, allow such abuses to occur? How could we silence a voice that speaks truth to power?”
Kalua and human rights activist Bon Kalindo are expected to appear in court today to answer cybercrime-related charges.
Kalua’s lawyer, Khwima Mchizi, has confirmed that he will file for bail once his client takes plea.
The arrests have sparked concerns about freedom of speech and the use of the cybercrime law to silence critics.
Chaponda has called for a fight for a better Malawi, where freedom and justice reign supreme, and has also demanded truth behind the plane crash that claimed the life of Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima and eight other officials.
