Kunkuyu ‘staged’ abduction

The abduction of one the then Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) aspirants Moses Kunkuyu, which surprised the nation in December during the party’s primary elections, was staged. The police have concluded.

A source at police southern regional office in Blantyre said investigations on the issue indicated that the abduction was pretentious and that the report was sent to Lilongwe for direction on the matter, however Kunkuyu rubbishes off the police findings.

The nation wake up on Friday December 12, 2008, with stories of disappearance of one of the then DPP aspirants for Blantyre South Constituency, Kunkuyu, causing panic in Blantyre city and subsequently leading to the postponement of the primary elections.
The 29 year old Kunkuyu was found tied up, ‘in good health but traumatised’, at a bush near Bvumbwe produce market in Thyolo district 24 hours after he was reported missing.

However the source told Malawi News that the investigations which police carried revealed that Kunkuyu was in Limbe at Kadjedza Lodge, in room 120, ostensibly with a woman at the time he was reported missing.

“He made a telephone call around the time when he was supposed to be in captive, making a reservation at a Lodge in Limbe, the receptionist confirmed. We also get hold of the lady in question and she also confirmed that she was with him,” said the source.

The source said it is believed that Kunkuyu had an accomplice, the person who took him around from Mandala—the place he feigned the abduction to Kanjedza Lodge and then from Kanjedza to Bvumbwe where he was found tied up.

“We believe that it was the same person who reported to have seen a man tied up along the road who was the accomplice, the place where the drop was made was so systematic that he should not stay long before police found him.

“Another thing which raised a lot of eyebrows was the fact that at the place where he claimed was dropped, there was a lot of mud due to rains that fell that day but his clothes were not as dirty. If he had been dropped, say from a speeding car, he could have been muddy all over, but that was not the case,” said the source.

The police officer also said it seems like the person who came, claimed to be a relative, to pick him up after the discovery only took a short time to arrive at Bvumbwe police station considering that, his relatives were in Blantyre it could have taken a lot of time to come to Bvumbwe.

“The so called relative gave police force identification particulars and cannot be traced and the number the presented to the police could not be reached,” he said.
He said the investigations were concluded sometime back and the file was sent to Police Headquarters in Lilongwe to recommend the action the police could take on the matter.

“We are waiting for direction. We are ready to arrest Kunkuyu for giving police false information,” he said.

Kanjedza Longe Manager Wyson Phiri confirmed police questioning the receptionist on duty on that particular day about the possibility of Kunkuyu conniving with him to effect his disappearance.

In the interview with the receptionist, Elton Nkhata said he told the police that on that day, December 12, 2008, three men come at around 1 pm inquiring if they could have a room at night.

He said the said people then insisted of taking his mobile number which they were calling throughout the night up until 3 am when a person arrived at the lodge and occupy room 120 at the lodge.

“I booked him in as Shawa only he told me that he wanted to rest a little bit he was on his way to Zomba, he whoever asked me if he could stay up to the evening of that day. My bosses started asking when they noticed that at 4pm keys for room 120 were missing when the room itself was looking like was not occupied.

“I went in and knock at the door just to check and I found that the man was still there despite the fact that curtains were drawned,” he said.

Nkhata said after a week police summoned him to answer why his number of found on call print out shit of Kunkuyu’s number, 09897773.

“That was when I told them the whole story, at first they thought I was an accomplice but later they understood my position,” he said.

Southern region spokesperson Davie Chingwalu said confirmed the conclusion of the investigation but refused to disclose that contains in the report.
“We have concluded investigations on the matter,” he said.

Kunkuyu described the police findings as mere fabrications aiming at destroying him politically and challenged the police to come out in the open with the findings if they have evidence pertaining to that.

“The police have got all the machinery to cook up the story. It is all political. I have suffered and I am still suffering because of that issue. There is not truth in what the police are saying,” he said.

Kumkuyu’s disappearance caused a steer in Blantyre as some people started pointing accusing figures on his political rivals of carrying out the abduction.

Kunkuyu is said to have received a phone call, on that fateful night, to pick up a sick person in his ambulance which was made available to the people free of charge.
It was said that instead of Kunkuyu going to the hospital with his driver, as has been the case, he travelled alone with the purported sick people, who turned up to be his assailants.

Kunkuyu will be contesting as an independent MP.