Likoma Island will soon be a hub of trade activities following the construction of a new state of the art port courtesy of President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera’s administration.
Likoma Port project which is on the verge of completion, was earmarked to be a mere basic jetty but the Chakwera government made a number of adjustments, upgrading the status of the project from a jetty to a port fitted with heavy duty cranes that are capable of loading and off loading huge amounts of cargo.
Once completed, the K8 billion Port would become quite handy as it will be used as a swing port to facilitate movement of cargo from Mbamba Bay in Tanzania to Malawi.
Economic analysts say the upgrade is of great significance in relation to the Mtwara Corridor, a World Bank and African Development Bank (ADB) Project to facilitate movement of cargo and trade development amongst the four countries – Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia.
President Chakwera toured the facility on Tuesday 24th October 2023 to appreciate the construction of new state of the art structure.
Three women are in police custody for authoring and circulating false information through a voice note (VN) on social media relating to the ongoing investigation of murder cases in Lilongwe.
According to Malawi Police Service (MPS) the three namely, Mercy Chiligo, Chipiliro Kalima and Sub Inspector Susan Kachinga were arrested on Monday 23rd October 2023 in Blantyre and Lilongwe.
A statement from Police Headquarters signed by Senior Superintendent Peter Kalaya dated 24th October 2023, said the three will be taken to a court in Blantyre soon after the statements are taken.
“MPS has charged the three with Cyber Bullying and Defamation of character which are crimes under the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act and Penal Code respectively,” reads part of the statement.
Kalaya
“The service reminds Malawians that it is a criminal offence to author and circulate false information using electronic gadgets and the internet and that anyone involved will be arrested and prosecuted.”
The clip which circulated widely on social media last weekend allegedly mentioned Minister of Information and Digitalization Moses Kunkuyu as the one behind the killing of Allan Witika, Sales Manager of Coca-Cola Beverages Company.
MPS has since arrested Lester Maganga who is currently in police hands is personal assistant to the minister in connection to the issue.
Wittika’s body was found dumped in the backseat of his car in Area 15 residential estate in Lilongwe on 20th September, 2023.
Gospel Singer Estiner Katengeza has released an emotional song titled “Why”, a tribute to her late sister ‘Agnes’ who was killed by unknown people in Lilongwe a month ago.
The song which has been produced by OBK Beats expresses the singer’s love on her sister and seeks to find answers from God on why her sister was killed.
“Achotsa m’bale wanga, Why Why Why…// Amupha m’bale wanga, Why Why Why…..” Goes the chorus of the song in part.
The Katengeza sisters
However, the ‘Ziribwino’ hitmaker who also works as a lecturer at MUBAS, says she still trust in God, who never sleeps nor slumbers, for justice.
Agnes Katengeza, an employee of the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) was found dead and bundled in the trunk of her car on September 24, 2023, after she was reported missing on the previous day.
Meanwhile police, have arrested a Nigerian woman Annie Nwozuzu Chinyere in connection with Agnes’ murder.
Below is the link to Estiner Katengeza’s new song “Why”.
The Financial Crimes Court is today expected to make a ruling on whether two witnesses associated with the UK’s National Crime Agency(NCA) can testify in the case involving the former Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Reyneck Matemba who is accused of accepting $10,000 in relation to the evaluation of a food rations contract awarded to businessman Zuneth Sattar, who was to supply 350,000 food ration packs worth $7,875,000 to the Malawi Police Service(MPS).
Matemba, accused
On Monday, the ACB brought two officials from the National Crime Agency as witness, a move that was objected by the accused.
In an interview with local media, the accused, Matemba, sought the court’s guidance on the proper handling of evidence and the inclusion of witnesses adhering to the procedure outlined in the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act.
“According to section 6 of the Act which I have mentioned, they cannot use that evidence they have to formally request it using the office of the attorney general and not to the Nation Crimes Agency, that’s the central authority for mutual legal assistance” said Matemba.
He raised concerns that the ACB was not following the act’s provisions in this case, leading him to question the disregard for certain legal requirements in the pursuit of due process.
On the other hand, Golda Rapozo, Principal Legal and Prosecution Officer at the ACB, emphasized that, in accordance with the criminal procedure and evidence code, anyone can serve as a witness.
“It is our argument that the Act does not prevent us, it is there to be used in times when we cannot use informal channels, so we were able to get these two people here using informal channels that was possible, if we needed to use formal channels we could have done that” said Rapozo.
Rapozo further explained that the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act does not prohibit law enforcement agencies from utilizing informal methods to gather evidence, secure witnesses, or present witnesses.
The ruling is expected to be delivered by High Court Judge Justice Violet Chipawo in Lilongwe.
Matemba is also allegedly accused of failing to declare his interest in a board meeting that reviewed and granted a no objection for the Malawi Police Service’s food ration contract despite knowing that the Director of Xavier Limited was Zuneth Sattar.
The Magistrate Court in Lilongwe through Senior Resident Magistrate Wanangwa Nyirenda has on Monday committed the Murder Case involving Lester Maganga to the High Court.
Maganga, 29, is suspected to have killed Allam Witika, a former Sales Manager for Coca-Cola Beverages Company.
Speaking when the accused, appeared in court, Senior Resident Magistrate Wanangwa Nyirenda said the High Court will hear the case and other applications since the lower court has no such powers.
Maganga being taken to Court
On his part, State Prosecutor, Davison Banda, asked the court to keep the accused on remand for 90 days to allow thorough investigations.
But Innocent Kubwalo, lawyer representing the accused, told the court that he will file an application for bail at the High Court and it will be the court’s discretion whether to keep the accused on remand for 90 days or not.
Maganga was arrested on Sunday by the police after preliminary investigations revealed that he quarrelled with the deceased after discovering that they were dating the same woman.
The late Wittika, was found dead in the backseat of his motor vehicle in Area 15, Lilongwe on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.
Police say he had cuts in the head and his body was covered with the vehicle’s floor mats.
