February 2001 World Headlines

Friday, February 2, 2001 - Web posted at 10:16:25 AM GMT

President Wahid Bring on the dancing girls

BLANTYRE - Two top Malawian officials known for their flashy lifestyle lived up to their reputations yesterday as a bevy of dancing women accompanied their arrival at a high court to face contempt charges.

Davis Kapito, a senior official in the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF), led a parade of 200 dancing women in his chauffer-driven Mercedes Benz convertible.

At the court he met Dumbo Lemani - the minister for presidential affairs who brags of being a millionaire and travels by limousine in this impoverished nation - and together they led the crowd of singing and dancing supporters outside the courthouse.

The two are charged with contempt of court for breaking a gag order that barred them from speaking about a graft scandal involving a former senior minister, Brown Mpinganjira.

He was later cleared of the charges.

During Mpinganjira's trial, the two had told state media that he was corrupt.

President Bakili Muluzi sacked Mpinganjira over the graft charges.

But last month the former minister formed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) pressure group, which brought the case against the Kapito and Lemani.

On Thursday the pair's contempt trial was postponed until February 12 to give them time to prepare a defense.

Lemani told reporters outside the court that he had brought along a suitcase full of clothes, ready for prison."

"I am not afraid of prospects of going to jail because with the coming to power of Muluzi, human rights in prisons have greatly improved," Lemani said in brief remarks to the supporters on the steps of the court.

Lemani is the first person to face charges in court while serving in Muluzi's cabinet.

Most are fired once they are charged.

- Nampa-Sapa-AFP

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