Malawi
Malawi coup plotters charged with treason

afrol.com / AENS, 27 March - Malawi authorities have charged an outspoken 33-year-old, prominent Malawi businessman and an unnamed soldier with treason after they allegedly plotted a violent coup against the democratically elected government. Malawi police had pre-empted a suspected coup at the weekend by arresting a the businessman and five soldiers.

Southern Malawi police commissioner Milward Chikwamba confirmed on Tuesday that Sudi Sulaimana and an unnamed army officer had been formally charged with treason following intensive interrogation over the weekend.

Sulaimana and five army officers were arrested on Friday night following indications that they were planning armed strikes on the country's radio and television stations and the presidential palace in the commercial capital of Blantyre.

Chikwamba said four of the officers had not been charged as they were co-operating with police. Additional arrests are expected over the next week. "Sulaimana and the remaining officer were formally charged with treason this morning and denied bail. They were remanded to custody until our investigation is complete," he said.

Chikwamba also confirmed that police had confiscated maps depicting battle plans to seize the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation's (MBC) radio studios and the government run Television Malawi in Blantyre before attacking President Bakili Muluzi's neighbouring Sanjika Palace.

He said additional documentation was also confiscated during the pre-emptive arrests on Friday but declined to comment further. 

Malawi army spokesman McLloyd Chidzalo meanwhile confirmed that the country's most senior military officials met to discuss the alleged plot on Monday afternoon. Chidzalo cited State security regulations, however, and declined to comment on the discussions or any resolutions.

The arrest is Sulaimana's second on conspiracy charges. He was previously detained on attempted coup charges by former Life President Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda in 1993. Sulaimana was, however, pardoned and released by President Muluzi's administration immediately after it was elected to power in Malawi's first multi-party democratic elections in 1994.

He was rearrested after being named as a mastermind in the spate of violent robberies that rocked Blantyre shortly afterwards. Sulaimana was eventually acquitted for lack of evidence, but gang leader Clive Macholowe was sentenced to 10 years jail. Sulaimana immediately fled the country for the United Kingdom, where he lived over the past two years before returning to Malawi in January.

His alleged coup conspiracy is the second reported attempt to topple Muluzi's administration over the past six-years. Influential army officer Lieutenant Colonel Njoloma was previously arrested for allegedly planning a violent rebellion in 1997 after he absconded from his barracks without authorisation.

A nationwide manhunt by the police and army failed to flush Njoloma and a small band of rebel soldiers. The popular officer was only arrested when he finally handed himself in back at his home barracks, where he was promptly court marshalled on mutiny charges and imprisoned. He died in prison in 1999.

Sulaimana and his co-accused, who are being held at the being Chichiri Maximum Security Prison, face the death sentence if they are found guilty on treason or mutiny charges. President Muluzi is however opposed to capital punishment and has yet to sign execution orders for any prisoners on death row.

By Brian Ligomeka,
African Eye News Service (AENS)

 

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