Goodal Gondwe and chief secretary Bright Msaka among the 11 arrested for Malawi 2012 coup plot

Goodall Gondwe and Chief Secretary to Malawi government Bright Msaka have been arrested in connection to a coup plot in April after President Bingu wa Mutharika’s death.

An inquiry report named Msaka as one of those who suggested that the Army should have taken over and not the current President Joyce Banda.

Minister of Information Moses Kunkuyu confirmed that the Chief Secretary was on the 11 member list to be arrested for an attempted coup plot.

The 11 are Economic Development Minister Goodal Gondwe, DPP Acting President Peter Mutharika, DPP Vice President Jean Kalilani, former Information Minister Patricia Kaliati, former Deputy Foreign Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa, former Local Government Minister Henry Mussa, and former Sports Minister Vuwa Kaunda.

Former Deputy Minister in OPC Nicholas Dausi, deputy Chief Secretary Necton Mhura and former guard Commander Duncan Mwapasa are also on the list to be arrested.

Gondwe, Kaliati, Vuwa, Mutharika, Dausi have already been arrested.

Speaking to Zodiak Radio from Chichiri police, Professor Mutharika said he handed himself because he is a law abiding citizen.

“I heard they were looking for me so I had to come. I have not been charged yet,” he said.

Hundreds of people besieged Chichiri police where Mutharika was being kept to stop the police from transferring him to Lilongwe but later calm ensued and he was taken to Lilongwe in one of the police commissioners’ vehicles