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| National |
| Television Malawi boss arrested, out on bail |
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by
Mabvuto Banda, 27 August 2004
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12:03:02
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Blantyre Magistrate’s Court on Thursday released Television Malawi Director General Rodrick Mulonya on a K20,000 ($185) bail, after Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officers arrested him at midday for failing to comply with a restriction notice stopping him from employing anybody at the station.
The ACB put a restriction on August 3, 2004, to stop Mulonya from employing, contracting, transacting or other arrangements with the five persons; Saturday Post Editor In Chief Chimwemwe Festino, Rosalio Mainess, Isabel Mangulenje, Maria Mbwana and Aubrey Nkata.
First Grade Magistrate Sekani Banda ordered that Mulonya, represented by Ralph Mhone and Chimwemwe Ngwira of Racane & Associates, surrenders his passport and that he reports to ACB once every fortnight.
ACB prosecutors Moses Aironi and Bernard Phiri told the court that they have 10 witnesses and that they are not yet through with the investigations.
But investigations by Nation Online on Thursday evening revealed that Mangulenje was on attachment at TVM and has since gone back to the Polytechnic. Mainess and Mbwana are also still on attachment while Festino is not on pay.
Mulonya, who has only been at TVM for three months now, said in an interview later that the people he has are on attachments and “I was surprised to learn that I was being questioned about these people”.
Mulonya’s lawyers launched a complaint about the way their client was handled when he was being arrested and questioned.
One of his lawyers Hlupikire Phiri said that Mulonya was manhandled by the officers and they have decided to pursue the matter in court.
The Magistrate ordered the ACB to furnish Mulonya’s lawyers with the 10 witnesses before hearing on September 16, 2004.
Meanwhile, the National Media Institute for Southern Africa (Namisa) said in a statement on Thursday that it subscribes to ideals of transparency and good governance, which include fighting corruption.
“But if this has to be viewed in good faith, we ask the ACB to probe how everyone at TVM was recruited, dating back to the time the station was established. They should also investigate all government media institutions, including MBC and Malawi News Agency, on how many people went through interviews,” said Namisa Information and Research Officer Innocent Chitosi.
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