(MISA/IFEX) – On 12 and 13 December 2000, members of Malawi’s Fiscal Police called journalist Denis Mzembe in for questioning over a story alleging that a company run by President Bakili Muluzi’s wife was involved in a shady cement deal. Mzembe, who writes for the “Weekend Nation”, told the PANA news agency that the police […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 12 and 13 December 2000, members of Malawi’s Fiscal Police called journalist Denis Mzembe in for questioning over a story alleging that a company run by President Bakili Muluzi’s wife was involved in a shady cement deal.
Mzembe, who writes for the “Weekend Nation”, told the PANA news agency that the police detained him for two hours, during which time senior officers wanted to make him sign a sworn statement disclosing his sources. The journalist said he was scared by the interrogation, but was not intimidated.
After Mzembe refused to disclose his sources, the officers summoned Alfred Mtonga, editor-in-chief of Nation Publications, which publishes the “Daily Nation” and the “Weekend Nation”.
Both Mtonga and Mzembe said they were not harassed by the police. A police officer later told PANA that he was only doing normal investigations into possible impropriety. He denied having been sent by State House (Muluzi’s residence) to destroy evidence of a possible crime.
