Police who were using State House vehicles opened the offices aggressively in an attention seeking mode.
National Assembly spokesperson Leornard Mengezi was coy to comment on the matter. State House press officer Chikumbutso Mtumodzi described the opening of the offices as presidential directive.
Mutharika during a news conference in Lilongwe on arrival from the 63rd session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York ordered the National Assembly to reopen the COP’s office within seven days. Â
PSC sealed COP offices on August 29, 2008 as a protective measure on documents being fished out of the office as the Clerk is awaiting her redeployment following a procurement scandal where parliament procured services from her personal business company, Monick Trends.
Mutharika had threatened to smash the doors open and change the locks if the offices were not opened within seven days.
The President maintained that Katopola will not be removed from parliament even in the face where she was faulted by an inquiry over the procurement scandal.
That woman [Katopola] has principles and she will not be removed and will remain at the National Assembly, said Mutharika describing Katopola as a strict disciplinarian. – Nyasa Times