Malawi Police in the capital city of Lilongwe on Friday re-arrested activist Bon Kalindo as he was leaving the Lilongwe Magistrate Court, where an inter partes hearing had just taken place concerning his earlier arrest warrant.
Police officers from Area 30, who detained Kalindo again, stated that this fresh warrant was issued due to Kalindo not complying with his bail conditions in another case.
National Police Public Relations Officer Peter Kalaya in a statement said Malawi Police Service (MPS) detectives on Friday, September 15, 2023, arrested Mr. Bon Kalindo for his failure to honour bail conditions in a case of Publication of false news likely to cause fear and alarm to the public (Court Case Number 1447/21) which he stands accused.
“This follows a warrant of arrest issued by the Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate (SRM) Court which MPS obtained. The same court charged and released him on bail with conditions for uttering information likely to cause fear and alarm to the public on Rainbow Television on December 20, 2021. He claimed to have knowledge of people behind the killings of persons with albinism but could not mention their names when asked to do so.
“Among the conditions for his court bail was that he should be reporting to National Police Headquarters every fortnight. Kalindo last honoured this bail condition on April 26, 2023. He will appear in court on Monday, September 18, 2023.” reads the statement.
However, Kalindo’s lawyer, Stanley Chirwa, expressed his concerns, describing the situation as improper. Chirwa stated, “But as a matter of procedure, that is not supposed to happen. My client was supposed to be called to court or summoned because he was on bail for the same charge for which the police have now obtained another arrest warrant.”
