The outspoken UTM party member who is also the women rights activist, Jessie Kabwila, is in police custody in Lilongwe after being arrested by the police on Saturday evening.

Jessie Kabwila’s mother confirmed the arrest to YFM and said her daughter was charged with two counts of inciting violence and impeding justice.

According to the mother, the charges leveled against her daughter were made following her remarks she made on Thursday during the demonstrations organized by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) aimed at demanding a swift action by the police to arrest fellow officers who are allegedly raped women in Msundwe.

She said: “My daughter was arrested at area 10 while she was in a restaurant at around 7pm by about 15 civilian police officers and she has been charged with offences of inciting violence and impeding justice.”

As of Sunday morning Kabwila was still in police custody and her mother said the family members were still negotiating for her bail.

In her speech during Thursday’s demonstrations by the HRDC, Kabwila warned that the country will be on fire if the judges will give a premature judgement on the case which the opposition parties, Malawi Congress (MCP) and UTM are protesting on the outcome of the May 21 presidential election results.

Reads part of Kabwila’s on Thursday: “Let me emphasize that Malawians will never allow anyone to play with the country’s constitution and we will deal with any perpetrator and you have seen yourselves that we did our best to control the demonstrators as they wanted to attack the police due to anger.

“Let me also warn that this country will be on fire if someone gives a premature judgement during the May 21 elections case because we all know the truth as we have been following the proceedings of the case through the radios.”

Kabwila, who also emphasised that Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah must leave office together with all those who are protecting her, was taken to area 3 police station.