/ 25 June 1999

JOURNALISTS “INCITED MUTINY”

TWO journalists in Malawi have been charged with inciting mutiny over a report on elections held last week, court sources said Thursday. Editor Horace Somanje and reporter Mabvuto Banda of the opposition newspaper the Malawi News pleaded not guilty to the charge Wednesday and were released on bail. The trial is expected to begin sometime in July. Magistrate Josseph Manyungwa said they were charged over an article published last Saturday allegedly aimed at derailing democracy by instigating the army and the public to rise up against a democratically elected president. President Bakili Muluzi was re-elected in June 15 polls. The Malawi News supports the Malawi Congress Party of former dictator Kamuzu Banda.