The police in Lilongwe Monday forced Nation Publications journalist Mabvuto Banda disembark an Ethiopian Airlines plane at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) as he was about to fly out to London, United Kingdom.
According to the police officer who was handling the issue, Jacob Bango, KIA Police just received a message on Sunday from Lilongwe Regional Police Office that Banda should not be allowed to fly to London for reasons Bango himself did not know.
"For details, contact Mr Namboya," Bango said Monday.
When contacted, Namboya refused to comment, referring The Daily Times to police press and public relations officer Willie Mwaluka.
Mwaluka refused to comment on why the police had to wait for Banda to board the plane when he had been at the airport from morning hours.
However, Mwaluka said it was unfortunate that the police were not told in good time that Banda had already sorted out the matter for which he was arrested.
A visit by The Daily Times to KIA Monday found Banda outside the
Airport Police Unit.
"I was removed from the plane by the police with a lot of harassment and eyes of other passengers were on me as if I had carried drugs. The police told me that I had stolen a car," he said.
Ironically, as Banda was narrating his ordeal to The Daily Times, a Toyota Corona with registration number BN 1117, which he was accused of stealing, pulled up and packed outside the police unit.
The car came with the owner, Stanley Majamanda.
A receipt referenced as 007 indicates that Banda paid K86,975 for the car which he hired from Agriboss Car Hire for 19 days.
Asked whether Banda had stolen his vehicle, Majamanda said it was not true that Banda had stolen his car and was surprised why his client was removed from the plane.
"Everything regarding payment was sorted out on December 31, New Year’s eve," he said.
Banda was traveling to the United Kingdom to nurse his expectant wife.
Meanwhile, National Media Institute for Southern Africa (Namisa) information and research officer Innocent Chitosi condemned the arrest, saying it amounted to harassment and infringement on Banda’s rights.
Chitosi said Banda had been available and it was strange for the police to arrest him when he was about to board a plane.
"We find this to be an act of harassment and it was an inconvenience to him, not only as a journalist but as a citizen," he said.
He added: "We have information that Banda has been under threats of arrest for about three months and we are tempted to connect this to those speculations. We strongly condemn this act."
This is not the first time Banda has been on a rough course with the police.
A few months ago he was arrested together with British Broadcasting Corporation local correspondent Raphael Tenthani for writing a story that alleged ghosts were troubling President Bingu wa Mutharika at the New State House in Lilongwe.
In the Bakili Muluzi era, he was also arrested together with his editor, late Horace Somanje before he was granted a presidential pardon.
Banda recently was accused by State House of writing a story that alleged that the First Lady Ethel Mutharika was seen shopping in an expensive shop in Scotland as her husband was pleading for aid.
State House refuted the claims and sued Nation Publications for defamation and damages. The case is yet to be heard.
