Price of investigative reporting |
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Four journalists detained at central medical stores
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| “We detained the reporters because they did not tell us they were coming. Above all, they were found in a restricted area taking pictures,” he said. CMS called on the Malawi Police Services 997 Rapid Response officers to apprehend the journalists. However, police officers refused to arrest the journalists on understanding that the case was minor and could be resolved without the police. Chaliwa Katola, one of the reporters confirmed the detention saying they were found to be at a restricted area because of the directions they were given by the gatekeeper. “There was no sign indicating that the place is a restricted area. The gatekeeper gave us directions to get to the director's office and we were simply following those directions. In fact, we went there to book an appointment,” Katola said. Casals and Associates Information Specialist Pilirani Semu Banda also confirmed the development but expressed gratitude that the matter was resolved amicably. National Media Institute of Southern Africa (NAMISA) is currently holding a series of meetings sensitizing media practitioners on formulation and implementation of an Access to Information bill. Ttwenty-three journalists underwent this training that ended on Friday, August 17. An American consultant trainer, a master in investigative reporting Don Ray facilitated the course together with University of Malawi (Polytechnic) lecturer Abel Manyungwe. |
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| By Arnold Mnelemba | ||||||||
| The phone rings and then a shocker: “Four reporters have been detained at Central Medical Store (CMS)”. Their crime was that they were trespassing. In reality, they were investigating allegations of theft of drugs at the hands of government and hospital employees. The four reporters were among the 23 journalists from print and electronic media across the country who were undergoing intensive training of investigative journalism and reporting corruption. The trainer, an American-based investigative journalist Don Ray had just introduced a new formula of approach to stories in investigative reporting. He codenamed the approach “bottom-up reporting.” Each of the 23 reporters, was out in the field trying to see how the new system would work. A journalistic assault on corruption - a three week intensive reporting project in Malawi - was organized by Casals and Associates under the Millennium Challenge Corporation initiative to impart more investigative skills in Malawian journalists from all media houses in the country. As it has always been the case, reporters went out enthusiastically - but at the same time knowing the fact that bureaucracy is the most worrisome challenge that makes journalists in the country fail to exercise their duties to the fullest. Media practitioners and the civil society have been singing about an Access to Information Bill in the country. Journalists in the country find it difficult to access public information in absence of an Access to Information Bill. As part of training, journalists from different media institutions combined their forces to produce an investigative publication using newly attained skills. There is a price for every endeavor. Central Medical Store (CMS) detained four reporters Chaliwa Katola and Montgomarly Phimba- both of Malawi Television (TVM), Jayne Kaonga- Capital Radio, and Ed-Grant Ndoza- Ministry of Information (Malawi News Agency) Chitipa. They were in the course of investigating possible fraud in the drug procurement and distribution system. Charles Abondo CMS Senior Manager/Team Leader under the Reform Project confirmed the detention of reporters. Abondo said the reporters were arrested for trespassing and were suspected of planning to steal drugs. |
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