Masangwi, 5 others get bail

The High Court in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre, has granted bail to DPP regional governor for the South Noel Masangwi and five others detained in connection with the murder of fourth-year Polytechnic student Robert Chasowa.

High Court judge Sylvester Kalembera was set to make another bail ruling Friday afternoon regarding four other suspects in the same matter.

Among those granted bail include Geoffrey Botomani and Peter Petros Tembo, who have been in detention from July 17 after the High Court refused them bail soon after their arrests.

The two, unlike the other eight arrested recently, were nabbed before the release of the commission of inquiry report into Chasowa’s death.

Making a ruling in respect of Masangwi, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) director of youth Lewis Ngalande, Frank Julius and Sam Chulu, Kalembera said the State failed to demonstrate it was not going to be in the interest of justice to release the applicants on bail.

Kalembera said earlier: “What is coming out clear in this matter is that the respondents [State] did not put any evidence that the applicants will interfere with investigations. Even during the Chasowa inquiry, they [the State] did not show the applicants interfered. I am at pains to conclude they will interfere with investigations.”

The court proceeded to grant the four applicants bail on condition that each of them must deposit with the court K200 000 cash and must have two sureties each, to deposit with the court K250 000 cash, each one of them. It translates to K700 000 cash for each to go on bail.

Kalembera, in a separate ruling, gave Botomani Tembo similar bail conditions. He was set to make another ruling in respect of four others, businessperson and boxing promoter Mike Chitenje, Stone Mwamadi, Isaac Osman and a police officer constable Stanford Horea.