Former president Arthur Peter Muntharika (APM) and his spouse Gertrude have faulted the arrest and charging of their son, Tadikira, with murder and human trafficking, saying the move is not justified by facts.

Through a statement signed by the former president’s spokesperson Shadric Namalomba on Saturday, the Mutharikas observe that it is on record that the driver of the van in  question clearly stated that Tadikira did not know that the vehicle was used to carry out illicit activities.

The Mutharikas with their son in this file photo

“However, despite the State being aware of his innocence, proceeded to charge him with murder and aggravated human trafficking,” reads the statement.

The Mutharikas have since asked authorities for further and speedy investigation of the issue to enable the to nation know the truth about what happened.

The former first couple said they are firm believers of the rule of law and that the Constitution guarantees the right to life for every person as well as the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

“Their excellencies, therefore, expect the police and the Judiciary to perform their duties with professionalism, objectivity and fairness and resist any extraneous influences,” reads the statement.

Tadikira last Wednesday handed himself to National Police Headquarters in Lilongwe upon learning that Police were looking for him in connection with a mass grave of 30 people believed to be Ethiopians found in Mtangatanga Forest in Mzimba District.

National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said four more people, including the driver of Tadikira’s Scania truck, Samuel Navaya, have been arrested.

He said police also arrested Duncan Kalulu, owner of a Toyota Sienta, David Luhanga and Thomas Gidson.

Kalaya said: “Collected evidence connects all the five suspects to the case and points to the role each one played.”

Police said on Friday Tadikira and his co-accused will face murder and human trafficking charges.

In an interview on Friday, lawyer representing Tadikira, Gilbert Khonyongwa, said his client was arrested because his truck was suspected to have been used to ferry the 30 Ethiopians whose bodies were found buried in a mass grave.

He said: “The driver of the truck was not in permanent employment. He requested my client to be using the truck which was idle and they entered an agreement that he [the driver] would be giving my client K800 000 every Monday.

“He started using the truck in January, but everywhere he went, my client had no idea. All he was expecting was the payment every Monday.”

On Friday, Lilongwe chief resident magistrate Madalitso Chimwaza committed the five suspects to the High Court of Malawi in Mzuzu where the application for bail would be made.

A preliminary autopsy report on the bodies reveals that the victims died of suffocation, according to police.

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