Nation newspaper apologises for article on ‘Chakwera’s aide nabbed’: Court refuses bail to guard Kamphantego

Malawi’s leading daily newspaper, The Nation, has tweeted an apology for a an article it publicised that a security aide believed to be of  Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president, Lazarus Chakwera was arrested on Thursday for attempting to sell albino bones and a human uterus.

The Nation posted  a story online which  indicated Dekhani Kamphamtengo, 41, from Kasinje village in the area of chief Kalumbu, Lilongwe was arrested on 20 March.

The story was also carried by Nyasa Times as cited the police report and confirmed by National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera that the suspect works as a security guard at Chakwera’s Area 10 residence according to the recorded statement.

However, The Nation took to Twitter Thursday to withdraw the article and apologised.

It tweeted: “We would like to withdraw the story titled; ‘Chakwera’s aid (sic) nabbed’ and applogise (sic) for any inconvenience caused.”

The article in question is now offline  from Nation Publications.

Meanwhile, Nyasa Times has not withdrawn the article, with its editorial saying: “The guard is arrested, fact. His own police statement says  he works for Chakwera., fact. The matter is in court, fact. Police have confirmed, fact.”

And the Lilongwe Magistrate Court has  on Thursday denied bail to Kaphamtengo, who comes from, Kasinje Village, Traditional Authority Kalumbu in Lilongwe.

Police  prosecutor passionately argued that the case “is a serious and sensitive matter” hence bail should not be given until investigations are concluded.

Following this argument, Senior Resident Magistrate Florence Msekandiwana ruled that the suspect must continue to stay in police custody for five more days until investigations are concluded.

Lilongwe’ s prominent lawyer Donvan Silungwe is representing Chakwera’s guard in the matter.

As investigations continue, police believe that Kaphamtengo has the body parts somewhere but he is pretending that he was lying.

According to a police report, Kamphamtengo, 41, was apprehended following a tip that he was selling body parts of a person with albinism.

Chakwera recently  dared that once voted into power, he will end the abductions and killings of persons with albinism within a month.

He challenged President Peter Mutharika to put an end to killings and abductions of persons with albinism in the country.

Since November 2014, the number of reported crimes against people with albinism in Malawi has risen to 152, including 25 murders and more than 10 people missing, according to Association of People with Albinism (Apam).

As part of the National Action Plan (NAP)  to protect those living with albinism, government is on a crackdown on perpetrators and according to police sources, more arrests are looming.

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