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| National |
| Three from UDF re-arrested for treason |
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by
Mabvuto Banda, 06 January 2005
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10:46:18
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Police on Wednesday re-arrested Harry Thomson, deputy minister of Transport Roy Commsy and member of parliament for Mangochi Northeast Alfred Mwechumu for treason, two days after police bailed and charged them with causing breach of peace for carrying guns to Sanjika Palace.
Thomson’s lawyer Viva Nyimba said the former minister and UDF executive member was arrested at his BCA Hill residence after being served with a warrant of arrest signed by the Blantyre Resident Magistrate.
Mwechumu and Commsy were arrested an hour later on the same charges and as we went to press the two were trying to get lawyers.
“I am baffled because the warrant is saying something else from what he was initially charged with. Thomson has owned the gun for over 10 years and always carries it. It was not found on his person but in the car and he voluntarily surrendered it to guards at the gate. An hour later police asked him to join them to the police station where he was charged with causing breach,” Nyimba said.
Commsy said: “I don’t know why I am being arrested because I am not in the wrong.”
The UDF, reacting to the arrests, made a scathing attack on Mutharika and warned severing its relations with the President and government.
“In view of this development, the UDF is seriously considering its relationship with the state President and government,” UDF said in a statement signed by secretary general Kennedy Makwangwala.
The party also accused Mutharika of violating human rights and the Republican Constitution by arresting innocent people.
Minister of information Ken Lipenga could not comment on the arrests, saying he was not competent enough to speak on security matters.
“Since the matter is in the hands of police, I am not privy to any information that would enable me to comment,” Lipenga said.
Police spokesperson Willie Mwaluka confirmed the arrests of the three, saying they are being kept at Blantyre Police station.
Thomson, now a co-opted member of UDF executive committee, resigned from the party together with Aleke Banda after they rejected the nomination of Bingu wa Mutharika as Muluzi’s successor.
He joined the NDA which has since disbanded following an embarrassing heavy loss during the May 20 elections.
Mwechumu has only served eight months as UDF MP while Commsy is an MP from Thyolo where the President comes from. He has been MP since 1999.
Security on the President has tightened up in recent weeks with government introducing searches on ministers, MPs and other members of the public going in and out of State House.
Some sources close to the investigation said on Wednesday the arrests follow the meeting the UDF had on Sunday were it is alleged they planned to cause havoc at the Sanjika meeting with the President.
The President and UDF chairman Muluzi called for a meeting of UDF office bearers in the Southern Region but was later cancelled after three guns were discovered in three vehicles at the Sanjika gate.
According to UDF, the three surrendered the guns willingly.
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