Malawi Police Service (MPS)has detained an eight-seater plane used by United Transformation Movement (UTM) President Dr. Saulos Chilima to fry to Likoma Island for campaign trail on Friday last week.

National Police Spokesperson James Kadadzera has confirmed of the development in an interview with the press.

According to Kadadzera, the plane has been detained at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) due to suspicious acts by some crew members.

“The plane number ZS-SDS owned by FAIR AVIATION has been detained due to suspicious activities of its crew members and passengers which the Malawi Police Service and other security arms are currently investigating in the interest of national security,” said Kadadzera.

The detention on the plane came a day after President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika alleged that the plane carried suspicious passengers who were in the country to rig elections.

“I know a plane entered Malawi yesterday without authorisation. I know what happened. I am warning those who have brought the plane, I know who was in that plane and what was in that plane.

“I want to warn you, don’t try your luck because you will regret. Let Malawians vote freely. We should conduct elections freely without anyone rigging the elections,” Mutharika said.

Meanwhile Kadadzera has refuted claims that detention of the plane is political.