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| National |
| Petrol bombs found at synod offices |
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by
Peter Makossah, 16 June 2004
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08:52:12
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The CCAP Livingstonia Synod in the early hours of Sunday discovered locally crafted petrol bombs at its office headquarters and St Andrews Church in Mzuzu.
Synod Moderator Reverend Maurice Munthali, who is also Public Affairs Committee (Pac) spokesperson, confirmed the incident on Tuesday in an interview.
Munthali said the synod suspects that the act was politically motivated, adding this may be because of the stand the synod took towards the May 20 general elections. He did not substantiate his claims.
“This has nothing to do with criminals. It is all politically motivated. No thief or robber can plan to burn the house of God or an office. The worst thieves and robbers can do is to break and not to set on fire anything.
“We only hope that the government will investigate the matter,” Munthali said.
Relating the incident, Munthali said: “The watchman knocked hard on the window of my bedroom.. He then took me to the synod’s main office block where we found two-five litre jerry-cans containing petrol at the doorstep of the cashiers’ office and the parish minister’s offices.
“We also found other two half-full two-litre plastic cans on the doorstep of the church. It was terrible because the petrol bombs could have exploded any time as there were matches in them,” said Munthali.
The moderator also said they discovered an empty packet of opaque beer with charcoal splashed with petrol and sticks of matches inside them.
“As a synod we did some investigations on Sunday. We went to all the filling stations in the city to enquire if they knew of a person or a group of persons who purchased petrol in two-five litre jerry cans and two-litre plastic cans.”
“One of the petrol attendants at a station confirmed and gave us names of three people who went to the service station at around midnight. One of the three stays in Luwinga and we have given the names to police but no one has been picked not even for questioning,” said Munthali.
In another interview on Tuesday a petrol attendant, who did not want to be identified, confirmed that three men, one from Luwinga and another two from Chibavi Township, came to buy the fuel at the filling station at around midnight.
Reverend Munthali said the jerry-cans and the plastic gallons were taken by the police who came to the scene.
He added that police officers have been guarding the buildings since the Sunday incident.
But when contacted for comment Mzuzu Police officer in-charge Friday Mulekano said that he was not aware of the incident as he was away in Zomba.
He added that it was routine for the police in Mzuzu to provide security to all ‘important’ people and places in the city.
“I have not been communicated on the issue yet but police presence in such places as the synod is routine. We provide 24-hour security service to all places and people in the city,” he said.
Police deputy publicist Assistant Superintendent Kelvin Maigwa said in interview he has not received the report on the matter.
But he added that the police will investigate the matter.
In a related development thugs are reported to have invaded Mzuzu Diocese bishop’s residences where they wounded a watchman.
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