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| National |
| Police detain pastor at election prayers |
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by
George Ntonya, 03 February 2004
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17:08:47
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Police officers manning the entrance to the New State House on Tuesday detained for some minutes president of the Pentecostal Revival Crusade Ministries Reverend Madalitso Mbewe, who was also moderator of the presidential prayer breakfast, which President Bakili Muluzi attended.
Since the police officers did not know Mbewe in person, they demanded an invitation card saying they would send him back if he failed to produce one.
Mbewe, who was driven in a dark Pajero remained cool as the security men asked his driver to park the car off the road. They allowed him in after being told he was one of those behind the function.
Journalists from Television Malawi (TVM), Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Malawi News Agency and different newspapers also got detained at the entrance for nearly 20 minutes because the police officers refused to recognise press cards, saying they were told to accept invitation cards only.
“I cannot allow you in unless you produce an invitation card,” said the man in-charge called Mazonga.
He threatened to arrest an MBC reporter for telling him that he, as a reporter assigned to cover the function, was supposed to enter without the invitation card.
“We do different job so respect what I say because I am doing my job. I can arrest you if you don’t know,” the officer said.
He finally allowed them in after Reverend Augustine Mgala convinced him the organisers did not distribute invitation cards to members of the media.
Ironically, some ruling UDF party supporters were allowed in without showing the invitation cards.
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