of his cameras were seized. Media reports indicated that he was likely to be charged with conduct likely to cause breach of peace. • ALERT Date: February 9, 2007 Persons: Dickson Kashoti Violation: Beaten, Victory On February 9 2007, Dickson Kashoti, a journalist working for Blantyre Newspapers Limited was assaulted by a Member of Parliament, Joseph Njobvuyalema over a story he published about the MP’s young brother, Harvey Njobvuyalema. August 2 2007: the Lilongwe Magistrate’s Court convicted Lilongwe Mapuyu South Parliamentarian Joseph Njobvuyalema for assaulting Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL) journalist, Dickson Kashoti. The conviction means Njobvuyalema automatically loses his seat as MP in accordance with the constitution. Presiding Magistrate Mzonde Mvula dismissed Njobvuyalema’s claims that the case was politically motivated and found that the MCP legislator indeed rolled up his sleeves and purposely attacked Kashoti by punching him in the face three times on his (Kashoti) right eye leaving it with soft membrane injuries. During the judgment, Mvula revoked Njobvuyalema’s bail and committed him to Maula prison to await sentencing on the following Friday. Njobvuyalema who is also chairperson of the Parliamentary Public Appointments Committee (Pac) claimed in his defence that he was a victim of political persecution. Njobvuyalema beat up Kashoti in February at the Newspaper’s office after he wrote an article about Njobvuyalema’s younger brother Harvey Njobvuyalema who had been arrested for allegedly stabbing his wife to death. • ALERT Date: January 9, 2007 Persons: Capital Radio Violation: Threatened On January 9 2007, Malawi Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (Macra), threatened Capital Radio FM with action over a CD it aired purportedly with the voice of President Bingu wa Mutharika ordering an undisclosed officer to “shake up” a political foe, according to media reports. The Daily Times reported that Macra gave Capital Radio until close of business on Tuesday to show cause why the regulatory authority should not invoke their enforcement/punitive powers pursuant to section 54 of the Communications Act. Section 54 of the Communications act, among other sections, talks of imposing a fine if a broadcaster has breached its license conditions. Capital Radio played the CD on Tuesday morning and afternoon and wanted to have it as subject of discussion in its phone-in News Talk programme, but was stopped by Macra’s action. According to the paper, Macra said the CD was a breach of the right to privacy, broadcasting of illegally obtained information without the consent of the owners, and broadcasting of materials likely to prejudice public safety, order and tranquility. So This Is Democracy? 2007 -52- Media Institute of Southern Africa