Police arrest Phiri for implicating IG in Chasowa murder

Barely four days after it was revealed that top police brass is involved in the death of the fourth year student at the Malawi Polytechnic, Police on Tuesday morning arrested Duncan Nawoza Phiri who spilled the beans.

Armed Police invaded the house of Phiri and picked him amid unclear reasons for their arrest.

A police source and family friends said Phiri was taken to Soche Police in the city of Blantyre. The cops said they wanted to quiz Phiri regarding “seditious materials.”

Phiri, the president of New Vision Youth Organisation, revealed in a weekly paper that the youth had a K10 million deal with the police to stop the August 17 anti government protests.

He said his group was in the deal with Inspector General of Police Peter Mukhito and commissioner of Police for the South, Kingsley Jose.

“It is not clear why he is arrested but I suspect it is because of the revelations he made in the paper. I think it is one way of keeping him from the public to prevent him from revealing more. On the other hand, I think the police would like to quiz him on the issues he claimed,” the police source said.

Meanwhile, the reporter who wrote the story Phillip Pemba of Nation Publications Limited says he is receiving death threats according to The Nation of Tuesday.

Chasowa, a fourth year mechanical engineering Polytechnic student found dead on campus September 24. Police ruled his death as suicide by an autopsy report by Dr Charles Dzamalala indicated that he was beaten to death.

Phiri, claimed they were offered K300, 000 by police to rent a house in Nkolokosa township which was being used as an office.

He also disclosed that they met Mukhito – in the presence of southern region police commissioner Jose – to brief and that Mukhito gave them (including Phamiso Mhone and Justice Kangulu) K50, 000 each and made them drunk with Chivas whisky.

Mukhito is reported to have promised them K10 million if the protests were thwarted on August 17.

Also named in the dossier is opposition UDF’s deputy spokesman Ken Msonda. In a radio interview with Capital FM on Wednesday, Msonda admitted to have been in touch with the youth activists.

The youth went on a campaign to convince students at Poly, Catholic University and Chancellor College not to take part in the vigils. They also went to several radio stations, including Capital Radio to speak against the vigils which were postponed on September 21.

Sharing is caring!