Malawi Police re-arrests ant-government demonstrations leader

Malawi Police Services have re-arrested anti-government demonstrations leader Bon Kalindo.

The activist has been re-arrested minutes after a court in Zomba granted him bail.

According to police, the reasons for the fresh arrest include malicious damage to property committed during demonstrations in Lilongwe.

Police have since indicated that they will transfer Kalindo to Lilongwe where the alleged offences were committed.

Kalindo was first arrested on Friday on accusations of spreading false information.

He appeared in court today where he was granted bail Kalindo’s bail on conditions that he produce a cash bond of K200 000, surrender passports to police, report to Lilongwe police every fortnight and produce one sorority with non-cash bond of K500 000.

Meanwhile, Lilongwe Senior resident magistrate Patrick Chirwa has granted bail to MP for Thyolo central Beni on condition that he surrenders 10 million kwacha cash bond and produce two people as sureties each worth 5 million kwacha

Chirwa also ordered Phiri to surrender all his travelling documents to the court and that he be visiting the police every fortnight

Phiri was arrested as the registered owner of Beata investment in relation to some procurement fraud and corruption at the ministry of gender between 2018 and 2020

In a related story, Supreme Court of appeal has denied bail the first and second appellants in Paul Mphwiyo’s shooting case, Macdonald Kumwembe and Pika Manondo

Manondo and Kumwembe had asked the court to release them on bail pending appeal since there is no date set for the hearing

They were sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2016 alongside Ralph Kasambara who was sentenced to 13 years in prison but is currently on bail pending appeal.