The High Court in Lilongwe has granted bail to Human Right Defenders Coalition (HRDC) chairperson Timothy Mtambo before his arrest.

The court has also issued an order to police to release the two HRDC leaders in Blantyre.

The order comes minutes before Mtambo was about to hand himself to Police.

Trapence and Mtambo were arrested on Sunday on grounds that they were planning to seal State Residences on March 25.

The arrest of the two has attracted public outcry as it came barely hours after President Peter Mutharika warned HRDC that both the police and army will use “full force” to stop them from holding demonstrations at State House.

More details to come…