Malawi MP accused of triple murder

Kara was seen as a promising young politician

By Raphael Tenthani Blantyre reporter

An opposition member of Malawi's parliament, who had gone into hiding after the killing of his driver in March, has been found and charged with murder.

Police have been questioning Nasser Walli Kara, the Malawi Congress Party MP for the central district of Dowa, following his arrest last week.

We would like (Mr Kara) to help us locate the remains of the two women

Police spokesman

He has confessed not only to killing the driver but also his wife and one of her friends, according to police.

Mr Kara has been charged with three counts of murder.

Police say that in a written confession, Mr Kara said he killed his wife, Liwoli, and her girlfriend Chimwemwe Kanfose - both 25 - for stealing money from his business.

He reportedly said he dumped the two women's bodies in a crocodile-infested river after bundling them in a sack.

Hush money

Police spokesman George Chikowi said the confession was not made under duress, but volunteered after Mr Kara was confronted with the evidence.

Police say his two bodyguards, who allegedly participated in the murder of the driver, had already confessed.

Speaker Mpasu says Kara keeps his seat for now

Mr Kara is said to have killed his driver because he knew too much.

Mr Chikowi said that after murdering the two women Mr Kara gave the driver a house in the capital, Lilongwe, and doubled his salary to $53 a month to shut him up.

But the driver then tried to blackmail him, according to the confession cited by police.

The driver reportedly said that while driving he would start hallucinating that he was seeing Mrs Kara face and needed more money to exorcise the ghosts.

Poisoned

Mr Kara said his bodyguards advised him to get rid of the driver, who was poisoned and beaten to death in March.

His body was dumped in a swamp. The MP went into hiding when fishermen found it, leading to the arrest of his bodyguards.

Mr Kara was arrested last Thursday, when a police patrol spotted him hitch-hiking in Blantyre.

But the police spokesman said the investigation into Mr Kara was not over.

"We would like him to help us locate the remains of the two women," he said.

Presumed innocent

The case of Mr Kara, a youthful politician and businessman of some repute, has shocked Malawians.

Women's rights activists and social commentators are calling for a review of the qualifications of people standing for high office.

Edge Kanyongolo, dean of law at the University of Malawi, said it was astounding that Malawi could have a potential serial killer in parliament without anyone noticing.

The parliamentary speaker, Sam Mpasu, said Mr Kara was still an MP until convicted.

But he added pointedly that MPs could lose their seats if they miss three consecutive sessions without a written notice to the speaker's office.