By Vincent Gunde
The State has up to this day not yet made a notice of adjournment to Maravi Post contributor Jones Gadama who was arrested on 5th December, 2025 accused of writing a story on allegations of misconduct of Ms. Barbara Mwandira- an employee of the MAlawi Broadcasting Corporation ( MBC).
Gadama’s story that Barbara Mwandira victimized a fellow employee of the public broadcaster Mayeso Chikhadzula following regime change from MCP to DPP found its way for publications in the Maravi Post online and upon seeing the document circulating, Ms. Mwandira reported the Maravi Post to Police demanding the arrest of Post administrators and editors.
A police officer Mr. Chimwemwe Magawa summoned the Maravi Post Country Director Lloyd M’bwana for questioning regarding Gadama’s published story who referred the officer to the publisher for an editorial resolution.
The police officer refused this and started issuing threats of arrests, intimidations and pressure to produce staff members behind the publications of such an article and this resulted to the arrest of Jones Gadama.
On 5th December, 2025 police officers travelled all the way from Lilongwe to Blantyre to arrest Jones Gadama allegedly at the instigation of Ms. Barbara Mwandira travelling with him over night to Lingadzi police station where he was detained.
While in the hands of police officers, Gadama was denied communication to alert his family, friends, relatives and fellow journalists of his arrest as his mobile phone was confiscated, and it is still this day, in the hands of police.
On 4th March, 2026 Jones Gadama appeared before the Magistrate court in Lilongwe, the case was not heard due to State’s failure to furnish his lawyer with disclosures of the case and this led to the adjournment to 10th March, 2026 in Lilongwe.
As Jones Gadama was preparing to travel to Lilongwe, he received a phone call from his lawyer that he should not go to the Lilongwe Magistrate court that the State Prosecutor won’t be available.
The Maravi Post wrote a letter to Minister of Homeland Security Peter Mukhitho registering its grave concerns that beside the case being heard in court, Mr. Magawa was still threatening the Post with arrests questioning the freedom of expression, freedom of press, and the professional independence of journalists in Malawi.
The Maravi Post also complained to the Minister that its contributor Jones Gadama is compelled to travel from Blantyre to Lilongwe fortnightly to honor his bail condition despite the availability of police stations in Blantyre causing unnecessary financial and psychological strain.
