Malawi's Leader of the Opposition and former Finance Minister, Simplex Chithyola-Banda, was arrested in Lilongwe on Sunday on suspicion of money laundering and abuse of office, according to an AFP report published by Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. His lawyer, George Kadzipatike, confirmed that the opposition leader handed himself over to the Area 6 Fiscal Police Station following a warrant issued by the Mkukula Magistrate Court, reports Malawi Cables Online.
The arrest occurred shortly after Chithyola-Banda delivered remarks at the close of a parliamentary sitting. In his speech, he accused the current administration of harassing opposition leaders through unwarranted arrests, Nation Online reports. During the same address, he criticized the Democratic Progressive Party government's economic policies, stating that citizens are struggling to survive under punitive taxes, high transaction levies, and a rising cost of living, according to Nation Online.
The case against Chithyola-Banda is part of an ongoing legal crackdown targeting figures from the former Malawi Congress Party administration, according to AFP. The news agency notes that authorities have detained or questioned at least eight former cabinet ministers and high-ranking officials in recent months as they review financial decisions made by the previous government.