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Two Malawians have been arrested for insulting President Peter Mutharika, reportsNyasa Times.
One of the two suspects, Patrick Simupanda, is a 19-year-old student at the Dae Yang University in Lilongwe, according to their lawyer, Gilbert Khonyongwa.
Khonyongwa said his clients were participants in a political debate that took place on a public transport after one woman wearing the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regalia boarded the minibus taxi.
Passengers in the minibus taxi reportedly mocked the woman saying that following the ruling party was a “senseless” thing to do as it had failed to avert food shortages that have hit most parts in the south-eastern nation.
The report said that after getting off from the minibus taxi at Cross-Roads hotel where the two suspects were also getting off, the woman reported them to the police, thus, leading to their arrest.
Police have since confirmed the arrest.
According to Malawi laws, insulting the president is a criminal offence.
In February, a 26-year-old man was arrested in Blantyre for allegedly stoning a billboard image of the president according to Malawi 24.
