In Malawi, the ten opposition party members arrested and charged with plotting to assassinate President Bingu wa Mutharika and over throw his government have been released. Citing lack of evidence after an investigation, police sources say there was no need to keep them in custody. The release came a day before the High Court was scheduled to rule on a bail application submitted last week. Meanwhile, the police are still holding Vice President Cassim Chilumpha, the alleged mastermind of the assassination plot. Fahad Assani is the lead attorney for Vice President Cassim Chilumpha and the recently freed men.
In an interview with English to Africa reporter Peter Clottey, Assani spoke about the latest events, "There were eight in custody that were arrested subsequently to the arrest of the vice president and they were released. And I was advised by a police spokesperson that there was no evidence linking them to the alleged assassination plot. So they decided to release them unconditionally.”
Assani addressed the state of the vice president, who remains in custody, saying, ”Naturally as any human being [would be], he is very disappointed with the government, which in his view is the continuation of his harassment and victimization that began last year. But he is certainly of fortitude and he will fight on up to the end to vindicate himself as well as the other two colleagues who are being used as pawns in this scheming.”