By Vincent Gunde
The Magistrate court in Lilongwe on Tuesday adjourned the case Journalist Jones Gadama is being accused of writing a story on allegations of misconduct by Ms. Barbara Mwandira, an employee of the public broadcaster-MBC including claims that she had victimized fellow MBC employee Mayeso Chikhadzula following a regime change from the MCP to DPP.
The alleged story found its way for publications in the Maravi Post online and upon seeing the document posted, Barbara Mwandira reported the Maravi Post to Malawi Police Service (MPS) demanding the arrest of the Post administrators and its editors.
A Police officer Mr. Chimwemwe Magawa summoned the Maravi Post Country Manager Lloyd M’bwana for questioning regarding Jones Gadama’s published story who referred the police officer to the Publisher for editorial resolution.
The Police officer refused and started issuing threats of arrests, intimidations and pressure to the Maravi Post administrators to produce staff members behind the publications of such an article and this resulted to Jones Gadama’s arrest.
On 5th December, 2025 Police officers travelled from Lilongwe to Blantyre where they arrested Gadama (Maravi Post Contributor) allegedly at the instigation of Ms. Barbara Mwandira, transporting him over night, detained him at Lingadzi Police Station.
While in the hands of Police, Gadama was denied communication to his family, friends, relatives and fellow journalists through various media platforms to alert them but this did not happen, his mobile phone was confiscated and it is still in the hands of police.
Appearing in court on Tuesday, the case was not heard due to State’s failure to furnish the Defence Team with the disclosures of the case hence to adjourn the case to 10th March, 2026 at the Magistrate Court in Lilongwe.
Speaking to fellow journalists from Lilongwe who went to the court to sympathize with him, Jones Gadama said he is praying for the truth to come out at the right time lamenting that he spends K50,000 one way travelling from Blantyre to Lilongwe translating to K100,000 transport expenses to honor his bail condition.
“In Lilongwe, I spend a night at a lodge, I am very thankful to Mr. Elwin Mandowa, Maravi Post Managing Director who supports me in meeting some of my expenses to travel to Lilongwe and back to Blantyre,” he said.
The Maravi Post has since written a letter to Minister of Homeland Security Peter Mukhito on its grave concerns for freedom of expression, freedom of the press and the professional independence of journalists in Malawi.
The Publication has complained to Hon Peter Mukhito that despite the matter being before the courts, police officers particularly Mr. Magawa is continuing threatening arrests of Maravi Post staff and its Contributor Jones Gadama is compelled to travel fortnightly from Blantyre to Lilongwe to report for bail despite the availability of Police stations in Blantyre causing unnecessary financial and psychological strain.
