Bon Kalindo taken to Zomba High Court

Political activist, Bon Kalindo, has arrived at Zomba courts this morning in his first such appearance after his arrest on Friday.

He has spent three nights in police custody for allegedly making false statements in public.

According to Nation Police Publicist James Kadadzera, Kalindo is accused of publishing a false statement during anti-government protests on Thursday.

“While addressing a crowd gathered for demonstrations at Mangochi boma, Mr Bon Kalindo published a statement to the effect that late Clement Chiwaya, former Deputy Speaker of Parliament, was murdered at Parliament Building,” reads part of the statement

Kadadzera said Kalindo published the false statement deliberately since official findings by the police show that Chiwaya committed suicide.

“A false statement alleging murder of a prominent member of society is likely to cause fear and alarm to members of the public especially the community to which the deceased belonged and is as such an offense under section 60(1) of the penal code,” said Kadadzera.

He added that Kalindo is also accused of telling the demonstrators in Mzuzu that the Malawi government is aware of those killing persons with albinism

According to Kadadzera, such claims could also cause alarm and fear to persons with albinism who are already living in constant fear of being murdered.

Kalindo who used to be a senior member of UTM which is part of the Tonse Alliance administration led demonstrations in Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu, and Mangochi over the past four weeks. The protests were aimed at demanding the Lazarus Chakwera administration implement solutions to the rise in the cost of living.

Kadadzera, however, emphasized that Kalindo’s arrest does not come because he was organizing the demonstrations but because of the crime committed during the protests.