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Ngalande arrested for July 19 panga cadets

Police in Blantyre on Monday arrested DPP regional director of youth (South) Lewis Ngalande in connection with the party’s youth cadets that brandished pangas in the streets of Blantyre ahead of last year’s July 20 anti-government protests.

Southern Region Police spokesperson Nicholas Gondwa confirmed in an interview that Ngalande was picked from his home and was being held at the Southern Region Police Headquarters. He was later taken to Soche Police Station.

Gondwa said the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) youth director faces three counts of intimidation, possession of offensive weapons (in this case pangas), conduct likely to cause breach of peace and obstruction of traffic.

Ngalande’s arrest comes after a Commission of Inquiry into the demonstrations, deaths, riots, looting, arson, public disorder and loss of property that took place on July 20 and 21, appointed by then president the late Bingu wa Mutharika, presented its report to President Joyce Banda on July 5 2012.

President Banda said she had asked Minister of Justice and Attorney General Ralph Kasambara and others to study the report and advise on whether the roles played by various individuals revealed criminal conduct requiring prosecution or misconduct necessitating other administrative action.

This is Ngalande’s second arrest. He was first arrested on May 19 by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for issuing threats at ACB officers in Blantyre last year.

DPP interim president Peter Mutharika visited Ngalande at Soche Police on Monday.

Mutharika and team were initially blocked, but were later allowed to see Ngalande to the jubilation of inmates in cells.

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