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| National |
| Sheikh Kalisinje finally arrested |
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by
Joseph Langa, 22 November 2004
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10:52:51
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Sheikh Alhaj Kalisinje, who is facing murder and conspiracy to murder charges in connection with the alleged murder of Sheikh Abdul Hamid Bughdad, was finally arrested by the police on Sunday.
Police spokesman Willie Mwaluka confirmed in an interview that Kalisinje was arrested in connection to the death of Sheikh Bughdad.
“It’s true he has been arrested in connection with the murder of Bughdad. He was arrested at the Kamuzu International Airport,” said Mwaluka who couldn’t provide more details because he was out of office.
But a police source told The Nation that Kalisinje was nicked around 13:40 hours after disembarking from an Ethiopian Airways flight.
According to the source, police was tipped about his arrival and they picked him from among fellow passengers arriving from Saudi Arabia.
The police source said Kalisinje, who is yet to be formally interrogated, told the police “I was not on the run as alleged by the Director of Public Prosecutions, [Ishmael Wadi] but was in Saudi Arabia for prayers”.
Kalisinje was in custody at Lilongwe Police station as we went to press, according to the source. He is accused of causing the death of Bughdad “on or about February 19, 2002, at Liwonde Township in Machinga with malice aforethought”.
He is charged together with UDF deputy director of research Humphrey Mvula, former UDF MP for Machinga Likwenu, Rodson Jangiya and two other UDF officials Aaron Simba and Sulaimana Magwira.
Sheik Kalisinje is also accused of conspiring with Mvula on or about October 13, 2004 to kill Bughdad’s wife — a significant witness to the murder of Sheikh Bughdad.
His colleagues were already committed to the High Court and are currently on remand waiting for ruling on their bail application, which was heard at the Lilongwe High Court last week. |
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