It never rains but pours for Sameer Suleman, a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Member of Parliament representing Blantyre City South East Constituency.
Suleman, who is renowned for careless mouth-running and volatile gestures, was recently hosted on a You-Tube based podcast interview where he named two Members of Parliament namely Richard Chimwendo Banda and Steve Mulondela as having hired thugs to kill him.
The Lilongwe South East Constituency Member of Parliament, Baba Steve Malondera, has since commenced civil action against Suleman, demanding K300 million compensation for defamation.
Despite the civil litigation, Suleman faces criminal charges from the State, charging him with criminal libel. According to a warrant of arrest issued by Resident Magistrate Court in Blantyre, Suleman committed libel contrary to section 200 as read with section 34 of the Penal Code.
Section 200 of the Penal code states that “any person who, by print, writing, painting, effigy, or by any means otherwise than solely by gestures, spoken words, or other sounds, unlawfully publishes any defamatory matter concerning another person, with intent to defame that other person, shall be guilty of the misdemeanor termed “libel”. On the other hand, section 34 prescribes a general punishment stating that the offence is “punishable with a fine or with imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or with both”.
According to a legal commentator Gustion Ntaba, if convicted of the charges, Suleman will become ineligible for contesting in any public office including running as a member of Parliament for the 2025 elections during which he purports to contest for the member of parliament seat.
Ntaba shares that “the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi disqualifies any person for election as president, vice president, or member of parliament who has, within the last seven years, been convicted by a competent court of a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude. Charges preferred against Suleman involve dishonesty and moral turpitude”.
According to the warrant of arrest, which Shire Times has seen, Suleman is said to have made and posted a statement on social media platforms between the months of December 2024 and January 2025, stating that the statement was “defamatory to Honourable Chimwendo Banda, Baba Malondera and Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma”.
Detailing Suleman’s sentiments is the demand letter from Malondera relating to the civil action which was written by Jivason & Company legal practitioners. Among others, the letter points out to Suleman that: “you gave a video interview where you allege that Honourable Kenneth Ndovi of Karonga informed you that he was being tracked by a white [Toyota] Prado motor vehicle on his way from Mzuzu driving towards Mzimba turn-off. You allege that the Prado blocked the vehicle driven by Hon Ndovi and two armed bouncers came out of the Prado, and told him that they were searching for you. From your explanation in the video, you make it clear that you know where the search for you originates from; and you proceed to mention names of our client together with two other very senior members of the Malawi Congress Party, insinuating that they are the ones hunting for you through the two bouncers, and that you are ready to surrender yourself to them and give them your life”.
The complaint narrates that “in their natural and ordinary meaning, the statements you make in the video regarding our client, mean and are understood to mean that our client is a dangerous criminal who is plotting, with others, to harm or assassinate you; that he has organized armed men to cause your death or harm you”.
