Mzimba South lawmaker Emmanuel Chambulanyina Jere, fresh from a court injunction battle over the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) relocation to Blantyre, is now in police custody.
Jere was arrested on Wednesday over a quarry theft case that dates back five years, after being summoned to the Malawi Police Service Headquarters at Area 30 in Lilongwe, where he was later moved to Lumbadzi Police Station.
His lawyer, George Jivason Kadzipatike, confirmed the arrest to the local media, saying the legislator strongly denies the allegations.
“He denies these allegations. He is currently being taken to Lumbadzi Police Station,” said Kadzipatike.
Kadzipatike also questioned the timing of the arrest, linking it to the recent court injunction involving the MEC relocation case.
“As I said yesterday, it is unfortunate that this case is coming after five years, and immediately after Chambulanyina has, with others, obtained an injunction against relocation of MEC to Blantyre,” he told the local media.
The lawyer added that Jere believes the matter is being revisited unfairly after several years.
Jere himself has previously linked the summons to the purchase of a quarry from a Chinese construction company that was working on the Jenda–Edingeni road project in 2021.
He maintains that the transaction was legitimate and that he has documentation supporting the purchase.
National Police spokesperson Lael Chimtembo has confirmed the arrest and said the MP is being investigated over allegations of quarry theft.
