Embattled Asian Businessperson Abdul Karim Batatawala, who is currently answering fraud and corruption related charges, has become under a heavy criticism for threatening journalists in the country.
The development follows a legal suit Batatawala through his lawyer Henry Phoya has obtained against Nation Publications Limited.
According to a leaked letter in our custody, Batatawala’s Lawyer has accused the Nation Publication of publishing unverified stories against his client hence demanding the publication to offer an apology within seven days.
Reacting to the development, Human and Civil Rights Activist, Bon Kalindo, said the move by Batatawala to sue Nation newspaper is a direct threat to media freedom in the country.
The fearless activist Kalindo has since given seven days to the corrupt suspect Batatawala to withdraw the legal suit saying ‘Malawians are not stupid’ to dance to his mediocrity.
“This is a threat to media freedom in the country; we are giving Batatawala a seven days ultimatum to withdraw the legal suit against Nation Publication or else will organize a massive demonstrations at his house,” said Kalindo, adding that Media Houses in the country have the right to operate freely as stipulated in the constitution.
According to Kalindo, Media Houses in the country have the noble duty of information the masses of people abusing or being suspected of abusing public funds such as Batatawala, who is suspected to have defraud Malawi government billions of kwachas.
In an audio, Kalindo says the letter that Batatawala has issued threatening Journalists is a clear indication that he does not know the freedom of press in Malawi and that he is rude and disrespectful to the Malawian press.
He says, threatening a Journalist in any means is an act against Malawi’s Constitution that guarantees freedom of press among the Journalists.
“I have seen your letter, warning and threatening Journalists to issue an apology for covering issues connected to you. I wish to let you know that this is against the law that guarantees the freedom of press and anyone found threatening Journalists should face the court of law”, says Kalindo in an audio.
Kalindo says Batatawala should withdraw his letter demanding an apology within the seven days, warning that failure to do so will force him to lead the demos on the issue.
” We have seen the letter that you have wrote, demanding an apology from NPL Journalists who you claim are misreporting issues connected to you within the seven days. I Bon Kalindo also giving you the same seven days to withdraw the letter and if you fail to do so, I will organise demonstrations that we will go and march at your house.
Let the Journalists cover what they feel is for public interest and remember there is access to information law that allows them to do so without being threatened with anyone. No one is above that law,” says.
He challenges that he is ready to be arrested again until Batatawala withdraws his letter .
“I am ready to be arrested again until you withdraw your letter within the seven days. I am ready to call all Malawians to demonstrate against this,” says Kalindo.
He adds that his silent in leading anti-government protests in the country is not that he has given up but he is helping and reaching out Moderate Cyclone Ana victims with various donations.
Concurring with Kalindo, a veteran Journalist Herbert Chirwa told a local media that high profile people should stop using the courts as a tool of gaging media houses from publishing the truth saying masses has the right to access information.
Last week, NPL published an article indicating that Batatawala was claiming about K250 billion from government, a story which has angered Batatawala and his associates.
