MALAWI police plan to prosecute 52 opposition protesters arrested during a demonstration in Blantyre on Tuesday. Police spokesman Oliver Soko said the demonstration had to be broken up because the application to hold it had been rejected. The opposition supporters defied the warning and went ahead only to be met by heavily armed policemen who promptly broke up the march by throwing teargas canisters. A number of the demonstrators were injured during the fracas. At least 52 protesters, including 18 women, were rounded up. The protesters wanted to petition the Electoral Commission, accusing its chair, High Court judge Justice James Kalaile, of fraudulently declaring President Bakili Muluzi the winner in the closely contested poll.