The government in Malawi plans to punish offenders who “foul the air” in a bid to turn them into “responsible and disciplined citizens”.

But critics of the proposal fear it could lead to potential miscarriages of justice as guilty parties try to pass on the blame.

One said prankster children could use any new law to embarrass respected elders.

She added: “What happens in a public place where a group is gathered. Do they lock up half a minibus?

“How about meetings where it is difficult to pinpoint culprits?” And one man said the nation, one of the world’s poorest, had more serious problems, such as corruption, to solve.