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UDF regional governor for the South John Chikakwiya will face treason charges over his recent remarks at a political rally that Malawi may experience genocide if politicians continue to provoke the party’s supporters, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Ishmael Wadi disclosed Thursday.
Wadi said Chikakwiya’s statements were “calculated to undermine the Malawi Government and destabilise peace”.
“I am evaluating evidence to charge him with an offence of treason in light of the manner and the place where the statements were made, including other people who were available at the meeting,” said Wadi.
Wadi said he is facing problems in getting a video tape of the recorded speech by Chikakwiya from Television Malawi.
“I requested the Attorney General to get that tape for us but he has indicated to me that he is not getting good cooperation from TVM. If they are not going to produce it, we are going to subpoena TVM to produce that tape and if they don’t, the director of TVM may face charges of destroying evidence,” said Wadi.
He said Chikakwiya, who doubles as Blantyre Mayor, may face charges of inciting genocide under international law, but said Malawi does not have an enabling legislation on genocide.
Wadi said TVM is also still holding on to tapes showing Thom Chiumia and Kenneth Ndanga beating up human rights activist Emmie Chanika at Chichiri Conference Centre during the announcement of the May 20 general election results.
“They are supposed to keep those tapes for records and this is a public institution and they should be able to give them to us but to say that the tape is lost is as well to admit that we have destroyed the evidence,” said Wadi.
He said once he has gathered the evidence, he would be charging Chikakwiya with treason.
If found guilty of treason Chikakwiya could be sentenced to death.
TVM director Rodrick Mulonya was not available for comment as he was reported to be out to Swaziland.
When contacted for comment, Chikakwiya advised Nation Online to contact him after some minutes as he was in a meeting.
He could not be reached later as he had switched off his mobile phone.
Chikakwiya told the rally in Bangwe in Blantyre early this month which was addressed by former president Bakili Muluzi that “countries go to war and experience genocide because of small things”.
He did not elaborate on the “small things”.
Chikakwiya asked Muluzi to talk to President Bingu wa Mutharika about the future of the UDF.
“Bingu must explain to us how his government will relate to the party,” Chikakwiya was reported as having told the rally.
There has been tension in the ruling UDF caused by Mutharika’s leadership style which openly distinguishes party and the government.
Muluzi’s spokesman Sam Mpasu was quoted in the local press that Muluzi was not going to withdraw Chikakwiya’s remarks as demanded by civil society organisations.
Chikakwiya was convicted on contempt of court after he, as mayor of the City of Blantyre, defied a court order restraining him from barring the defunct National Democratic Alliance, then an emerging pressure group, from addressing a rally in Ndirande, Blantyre in January, 2001. He was sentenced to two weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.
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