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| National |
| Makwangwala to be arrested |
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by
Peter Makossah, 05 August 2004
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10:04:52
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UDF secretary general Kennedy Makwangwala is facing arrest following a warrant that has been issued on suspicion that he damaged two vehicles belonging to Ntcheu Bwanje South MP Marjorie Ngaunje during the campaign period before the May 20 general elections.
A senior government official said on Tuesday that Makwangwala will be arrested any time to answer charges of malicious damage.
“There is an incriminating evidence against the secretary general that he was directly involved in the damaging of the two vehicles belonging to independent MP for Bwanje South Honourable Ngaunje. He is not being arrested on political grounds but criminal,” said the government source who did not want to be identified.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Ishmael Wadi confirmed that a warrant of arrest for Makwangwala was issued on charges of malicious damage.
“It is true that there is a warrant of arrest for Makwangwala who is suspected to have been involved in damaging two vehicles of Bwanje South MP some time in May or thereabouts. He will be arrested to face justice in a court of law,” said Wadi.
Ngaunje said in a separate interview she would be happy if Makwangwala is arrested to face the law, alleging that her predecessor damaged her two vehicles but was protected because he is UDF secretary general.
“What Makwangwala did to me is criminal. He damaged my two vehicles — a Nissan Double Cabin registration NU 1548 and a Toyota Hilux registration number BL 4020 — which I borrowed from someone. I have strong evidence against him.
“He damaged my vehicles and people saw him. I was not alone when it was happening, I was with children and they saw all what happened. It was bad for me because one of the damaged vehicles was borrowed,” said Ngaunje.
She said the case is being handled by her lawyers and she is looking forward to the day justice will take its course on the matter.
“My lawyer, Ralph Kasambara is handling the case for me. The vehicles are still lying at Bilila Police Unit. The police failed to act on him because he was being protected,” she said.
Kasambara could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone was reportedly switched off.
But when contacted, Makwangwala denied damaging Ngaunje’s vehicles and he was not aware of his pending arrest.
“Me, arrested? For what? I don’t know. There was nothing like damaging vehicles. I am not behind that. It is untrue,” said Makwangwala.
Makwangwala is also facing legal action from President Bingu wa Mutharika’s plain spoken chief of staff Ken Zikhale Ng’oma and Wadi for defamation and character assassination respectively.
Wadi is claiming K22 million ($203,703) in damages after Makwangwala told TV Malawi in an interview that Wadi could have been appointed DPP because his father was an accountant for Mutharika’s disbanded political party, United Party.
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