Group moves to protect public purse

Mass Movement Advancement for Economic Revolution has condemned the tendency of arresting people suspected of crimes before thorough investigations are made, saying that is costing the country a lot of money in compensation claims.

A press statement from the group, among others, singles out the claim made by former president Peter Mutharika’s private bodyguard Norman Chisale who is demanding K500 million in compensation claims following his acquital by the High Court on two counts of attempted murder of Sigele Amani and doing an act prejudicial to public safety.

Reads the statement in part: “We know there has been a number of such compensation claims made due to some careless, negligent and useless arrests, carried out before proper investigations are done.

“As a country we are worried that chances are very high that some of the cases we are pursuing [now] are likely to attract another set of regrettable compensations. Most of arrests were made based on theoretical assumptions driven by political affiliations and misplaced intelligence.”

The statement signed by its national director Redson Munlo, further asks all authorities including the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General to ” thoughtfully” assess cases brought to them before making a decision to further take such before court for prosecution to avoid incurring wasteful court fees and compensations.

This is coming after The Nation Newspaper last week reported that government through the Attorney General is fighting compensation claims totaling K2 trillion.