Chilima sues government

Vice President Saulos Chilima has sued the Peter Mutharika administration for withdrawing his security.

Through an injunction obtained at the High Court in Blantyre, Chilima has stopped government from withdrawing 42 police officers assigned to his residences.

Government transferred the 42 police officers on Wednesday saying Chilima is only entitled to six police officers as prescribed by law.

On Friday, Chilima through his lawyer Lusungu Gondwe asked the court for a judicial review following the decision by Inspector General of Police and Chief Secretary to the Government to reduce number of police officers at Chilima’s residences and transfer the officers to Police Mobile Force as well as to withdraw some of the vehicles Chilima is using.

Justice John Chirwa granted the permission for the judicial review.

“A stay order be and is hereby made to restrain the respondents from implementing or maintaining their decisions a] reducing the number of Police Mobile Force officers guarding at the official residences of the Vice President of the Republic of Malawi in Lilongwe and Blantyre; b] transferring officers working at the said residences to Police Mobile Force division headquarters and c] withdrawing some of the vehicles assigned to the office of the vice president,” says the stay order Malawi24 has seen.

Judge Chirwa in the stay order then warned the Inspector General of Police and Chief Secretary to the Government that they may be found guilty of contempt of court and sent to prison if they disobey the order.

Government reduced Chilima’s security detail after the vice president launched the United Transformation Movement and expressed his interest to contest for president in the 2019 elections.