Malawi police charge man over fake presidential leave statement
A 39-year-old man faces charges for allegedly creating a false press release attributed to the Office of the President and Cabinet.
Malawi police arrested 39-year-old Emmanuel Soko from Kasungu District for allegedly producing a fake press release.
The document, bearing forged Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) credentials, falsely claimed President Peter Mutharika was taking 10 days' leave. The OPC later dismissed the statement as untrue. Police suspect Soko breached sections of the Penal Code and the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act.
Soko is expected to appear in court in due course. The specific charges are related to alleged breaches of law.
Why it mattersEmmanuel Soko faces legal charges for creating and distributing a false official statement.