Twist in the tale to the saga of arrested lawyer, Stanley Chirwa, who is still under police custody in Lilongwe.
This, after Chirwa has charged that the MCP government is targeting him for dragging its secretary General Eisenhower Mkaka to court over corruption allegations.
Chirwa, who is part of a Lilongwe-based law firm, S & M Lawyers & Associates, was arrested on Friday 26th of April, 2024 over possession of a Ford Ranger motor vehicle that was stolen at a gunpoint in South Africa back in 2018.
Initially, Chirwa was expected to be brought before a court of law of competent jurisdiction on Monday 29th April 2024 to be formally charged for his detention.
However this has not happened, prompting him to ask for Malawi Human Rights Commission’s (MHRC) intervention.
In the letter seen by this publication and copied to the United States Ambassador to Malawi, the British High Commissioner to Malawi, and all Civil Society Organizations in Malawi, the legal practitioner is against his prolonged detention which he described as “unlawful”.
Chirwa has told MHRC that he believes his arrest is a result of his involvement in cases of individuals and organizations that seem to be against the Tonse Administration and he accuses the state agents of using resources as a tool of oppression against the pursuit of justice.
Among other cases, Chirwa is representing the Forum for National Development and Centre for Mindset Change which is demanding information on corruption allegations against Eseinhower Mkaka.
“I have sufficient reasons to believe that this act of impunity by the state is a deliberate ploy to frustrate my efforts in contributing to the delivery of justice in matters where some public figures and Civil Society Organizations who are perceived to be opponents of the current regime are interested parties.
“Most notably, I’ve been actively involved in the following matters: 1. Criminal Case Number 1330 of 2023, The Republic Vs Norman Chisale involving complaints by the Current Minister of Justice, Director of Public Prosecutions, and Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau amongst others. 2. Various criminal matters involving Mr Bon Kalindo, a civil and political rights activist who is a fierce critic of the Government,” said Chirwa in the letter.
He further complained that this happened when he duly provided to police with all the required information about the said motor vehicle, which included a copy of a Police clearance issued by the Malawi Police Service and a copy of a Motor Vehicle Registration Certificate that indicated that the said vehicle does not belong to him.
In the letter, he has also cautioned the state and its agents on being used as tools of oppression against perceived political opponents, saying in the current political dispensation, respect for human rights and the rule of law ought to be paramount.
Attorney Chirwa, who is still being held, says MCP is pursuing him.
Attorney Chirwa, who is still being held, says MCP is pursuing him.
The story of Stanley Chirwa, an arrested lawyer who is currently being held by police in Lilongwe, has a twist.
This comes after Chirwa said he was being singled out by the MCP government for taking its secretary general, Eisenhower Mkaka, to court over claims of corruption.
Chirwa, a member of the Lilongwe-based legal group S & M Lawyers & Associates, was taken into custody on Friday, April 26, 2024, for having a Ford Ranger that had been taken in 2018 at gunpoint in South Africa.
At first, Chirwa was supposed to be formally charged for his incarceration on Monday, April 29, 2024, when he was taken before a court of law with competent jurisdiction.
But because that hasn’t happened, he’s asked the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) to step in.
The lawyer is opposed to his extended detention, which he called “unlawful,” in a letter obtained by this magazine and forwarded to the British High Commissioner in Malawi, the US Ambassador to Malawi, and all civil society organizations in Malawi.
According to Chirwa’s statement to the MHRC, he feels that his detention stems from his engagement in cases involving people and organizations that appear to be opposed to the Tonse Administration. He also charges state agents of using resources as a means of oppression against those who seek justice.
Chirwa is a representative of the Forum for National Development and the Centre for Mindset Change, among other organizations, and they are requesting information regarding accusations of corruption made against Eseinhower Mkaka.
“I have good reason to think that the state’s act of impunity is a calculated ploy to thwart my efforts to assist in the administration of justice in cases involving interested parties who are public figures and Civil Society Organizations perceived to be opponents of the current regime.
Most notably, I have taken an active part in the following issues: 1. The Republic v. Norman Chisale, Criminal Case Number 1330 of 2023, containing complaints from the Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Current Minister of Justice, among others. 2. A number of criminal cases pertaining to Mr. Bon Kalindo, an activist for political and civil rights who is a harsh critic of the government, Chirwa wrote in the letter.
Additionally, he expressed his dissatisfaction, claiming that this occurred after he gave the police all the information they needed to investigate the said car. This information included copies of the police clearance and the motor vehicle registration certificate, which proved the car did not belong to him.
In the letter, he also issued a warning to the state and its representatives not to be used as instruments of tyranny against those who are seen as political rivals, stating that upholding the rule of law and respecting human rights should be top priorities in the current political system.
