Court grants bail to cop in illegal immigrants case
The High Court in Mzuzu has released on bail Mzuzu Police Mobile Service officer-in-charge (OC), Leonard Mtokoma, in a case he is accused alongside two others of aiding illegal entry of 25 Ethiopians into Malawi using a police vehicle.
However, Mtomoka did not meet the bail conditions set by the court, hence, he was still placed in police custody.
The OC is alleged to have abused his office by ordering a driver at the service, Hadwell Majomeka, to ferry the Ethiopians from Karonga to Mzimba District.
Majomeka who was also arrested was acquitted last week and is now a state witness.
Lawyer for Mtokoma, Nicely Msowoya, earlier made bail application to the Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court on two occasions but the court refused to release him and the two other accused, Tiwonge Nyirenda and Ernest Issa.
But High Court judge Dingiswayo Madise on Saturday granted bail to Mtokoma while he did not release the other suspects on the basis that the court was not sure if they reside in Mzuzu.
In granting Mtokoma bail, Madise asked him to pay K200 000 (US$484) cash bail bond, produce two sureties bonded at K1 million (not cash) each and the two have to be examined by the court and surrender travel documents to police, among other conditions.
it is our police officers that are doing big crimes here in malawi, these things have to be delt with accordingly. i mean how can you stop crime if your also in the act????