Mangochi Political violence trial to resume on April 10

The Chief Resident Magistrate Court in Zomba has set a April 10 date for the hearing in the case involving three men accused of harassing UTM party members in Mangochi district on January 20.

The three men, who are suspected to be ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) cadets, are Adam Masitala, Kili Adam and Rajab Hasan all from Mangochi.

They are answering three counts of stripping half naked a 32 year-old woman, Veronica Kananga unlawfully wounding and robbing off properties belonging to other men by force.

Chief Resident Magistrate Nzondi Mula, who is presiding over the case, also reserved his ruling on bail application by the defense lawyer, Yasin Domasi, and set a April 4 date for his ruling.

The court heard that on January 20 the three accused, used their cars to block Mangochi-Makanjira road at M’baluku trading centre and assaulted UTM party members who were travelling to Makanjira to attend to their party’s functions.

In the process of the attack, a 32-year-old UTM party woman, Veronika Kananga, was stripped off her party clothes.

Following the incident Kananga and other UTM party members were seen in a social media video clip being ordered to take off their red UTM party T-shirts with a portrait of UTM president Saulosi Chilima.

Other men who were in a company of Kananga, were also beaten and their mobile phones were stolen.

During the hearing, the prosecution team, led by Hanah Supply from the Director of Public Prosecution-DPP Chambers in Lilongwe, paraded five witnesses including the key victim, Veronica Kananga while five more other witnesses will be paraded when the court meet again on April 10.

Kananga’s incident, brought anger among the women’s rights groups, including Women in Politics, who gave President Peter Mutharika and the Inspector General of Police, Rodney Jose, an ultimatum to arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators.