Police nab Jomo Osman again
Police in Blantyre Tuesday arrested Bangwe Mthandizi Ward councillor, Jomo Osman, also known as Ntopwa One for questioning in relation to the assault of human activist Billy Mayaya.
Spokesperson for Southern Region Police, Ramsey Mushani, told The Daily Times that Osman, who is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was picked along with other suspects including Yona Mlotha.
“It is true that we picked Osman for questioning in relation to the assaulting of Billy Mayaya during the anti- Jane Ansah demonstrations,” Mushani said.
He, however, could not be drawn to disclose whether Jomo would spend a night in custody.
Mayaya sustained a cut in the head after being assaulted by suspected DPP supporters in September last year in Blantyre during the demonstration that was organised by the Human Rights Defenders Coalition of which he is a member.
Demonstrators were demanding the resignation of the then-Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson, Jane Ansah, accusing her of mismanaging the 2019 presidential election.
Among others, Osman was also arrested on June 29 this year on suspicion that he committed crimes of malicious damage and theft.
It is suspected that the crimes were committed on 25 May 2019 at the residence of Member of Parliament for Blantyre Bangwe Constituency, Orphan Shawa, who was on the fateful day celebrating his victory in the parliamentary election.
It is further alleged that in the course of celebration, Osman accompanied by other people, invaded the home where they damaged three cars and stole phones amounting to K1,035,000.
Jomo and the others were granted court bail earlier last month.
Mathews Kasanda is a journalist who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from University of Malawi (The Polytechnic).
In 2015, Media Institute of Southern Africa awarded him the Best Print Media Education Journalist of the Year accolade.
He joined Times Group Newsroom in September 2019.
