Ten maize transporters whose vehicles were impounded in Chitipa last November have written Inspector General of Police Merlyne Yolamu and Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Commander General Vincent Nundwe to release their trucks or face court action.

The 10 trucks were transporting maize to Illomba in Chitipa District, but after offloading the maize and on their way back, police impounded them.

Trucks were impounded while carrying maize

The vehicles were placed in the custody of MDF at Meru Garrison in the district on November 27 2022.

But in a demand letter to the two institutions dated January 13 2023, lawyer for the transporters, George Kadzipatike, argues that the vehicles became a subject of criminal proceedings in the Chitipa Magistrate’s Court and the court ordered their release.

Reads the letter in part: “Copies of the order were served at all relevant places of the MDF and MPS, including their headquarters but up to now the MDF is still clinging to the vehicles.

“Your institutions [MDF and the MPS] have not instructed [your] lawyers to appeal against the order of the court. The order is still live but your institutions have chosen to deliberately disobey it.”

The 10 transporters are Assan Kamwendo, Elias Khozombwe, Edward Mhango, Menard Mbowe, Nicholas Banda, White Phiri, Kondwani Mkandawire, Charles Nkuruzinza, Raphael Makaka and Elias Yasin.

On December 30 2022, Chitipa first grade magistrate Billy Ngosi issued the order for the State to release the vehicles through MDF, which is said to have not happened; hence, the new development.

In an interview yesterday, National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said the demand letter was “authored only on Friday” and that the IG will act accordingly upon see the communication.

But MDF spokesperson Major Kelvin Mlelemba could not be reached for comment yesterday.

In the past two weeks, MDF and police have intercepted 25 truckloads of maize destined for Tanzania amid an export ban of the commodity in the country.

Currently, Malawi is facing a food shortage with about 3.8 million people in need of relief food.

In the face of the ban, smuggling and aiding smugglers of maize is deemed a threat to Malawi’s food security, and is a criminal offence under the Control of Goods Act (2020).

Section 50 (1) of the Customs and Excise Act stipulates that subject to Subsection (2), no goods shall be exported contrary to the provisions of any written law prohibiting or restricting the exportation of such goods.

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