CityLenz News

  The High Court in Blantyre has set aside February 10, 2022 as a date for hearing of contempt of court over broadcasting rights. Malawi Broadcasting Corporation ( MBC) sued Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to court after the state-run broadcaster was stopped from beaming the Airtel Top 8 semifinal match between Silver Strikers and Civil Service United at Bingu National Stadium (BNS). The entire FAM executive committee, including president Walter Nyamilandu Manda, was present. Last week, the High Court granted MBC permission to beam the remaining Airtel Top 8 matches and all other football games. However, there was drama at BNS  as the MBC crew was stopped from beaming the match involving Civil and Silver, which the Bankers won 2-0. Fam officials claimed that the State-run broadcaster did not secure rights to beam the match. MBC Director General George Kasakula said the State-run broadcaster would go back to court.

A court in Blantyre has formerly charged businessman Abdul Karim Batatawala who was arrested last week. Senior Magistrate Court in Blantyre has charged Batatawala with two accounts of money laundering and defrauding the Department of Immigration Services. However, through his lawyer, Alexious Nampota, Batatawala has applied for bail but State through the ACB insists he must remain in police custody as investigations continue. The Anti-Corruption Bureau has also asked the court to remand Batatawala to Chichiri Prison saying he has not been cooperative unlike other three co-accused persons; Evils Thodi, Fletcher Nyirenda and Limbani Chawinga. Batatawala was arrested in connection to the alleged dubious awarding of contract worth over K2 billion to supply police uniforms and other accessories at the Immigration Department in 2010.