Police release Zomba ‘demonstrator’ on bail

Police in Zomba granted bail a 35-year old Peter Sapanga suspected to have held an illegal demonstration last week against President Joyce Banda’s current economic reforms.

Police publicist for the Eastern Region Thomeck Nyaude said on Wednesday that hearing of the case was expected to start this week.

“The suspect took to the streets to demonstrate while holding a placard written ‘Stop kwacha floatation, stop automatic fuel pricing, stop kuyendayenda ndi kulongolora,” he said.

Nyaude said the suspect was charged with conduct likely to cause breach of peace.According to Nyaude, nobody in Zomba and the whole Eastern Region sought permission to hold demonstrations on January 17, hence the arrest.

“The police did not get any communication on the demonstrations from the organisers in Zomba. Therefore we warned the people that anybody doing the contrary will be arrested and charged,” he said.

Sapanga, who comes from Jonathan Village, Traditional Authority Mpama in Chiradzulu said he was just waiting for his friends to travel to Blantyre to join his friends.

“Iwouldn’t say much because the case is in court, but on the material day Iwas at the premises of the District Commissioner awaiting my friends to travel to Zomba. That’s where the police picked and locked me up,” he said.Malawians from Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu on January 17, 2013 took to the streets protesting hardships created by current economic reforms.

The demonstrations were led by the consumer body, Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama).