Embattled Asian Businessperson Abdul Karim Batatawala, who is currently answering fraud and corruption related charges, has become under a heavy criticism for threatening journalists in the country.
The development follows a legal suit the corrupt suspect Karim Batatawala through his lawyer Henry Phoya of Phoya and Associates has obtained against Nation Publications Limited.
According to a leaked letter in our custody, Batatawala’s Lawyer has accused the Nation Publication of publishing unverified stories against his client hence demanding the publication to offer an apology within seven days.
Reacting to the development, Human and Civil Rights Activist, Bon Kalindo, said the move by Batatawala to sue Nation newspaper is a direct threat to media freedom in the country.
The fearless activist Kalindo has since given seven days to the corrupt suspect Batatawala to withdraw the legal suit saying ‘Malawians are not stupid’ to dance to his mediocrity.
“This is a threat to media freedom in the country; we are giving Batatawala a seven days ultimatum to withdraw the legal suit against Nation Publication or else will organize a massive demonstrations at his house,” said Kalindo, adding that Media Houses in the country have the right to operate freely as stipulated in the constitution.
According to Kalindo, Media Houses in the country have the noble duty of information the masses of people abusing or being suspected of abusing public funds such as Batatawala, who is suspected to have defraud Malawi government billions of kwachas.
Concurring with Kalindo, a veteran Journalist Herbert Chirwa told a local media that high profile people should stop using the courts as a tool of gaging media houses from publishing the truth saying masses has the right to access information.
Last week, the Nation Publication published an article indicating that Batatawala was claiming about K250 billion from Malawi government, a story which has angered Batatawala and his associates.
