Court grants bail to drug theft suspect
Karonga Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to Karonga District Hospital pharmacy technician Tiwonge Mweso, 27, who is accused of stealing K434 637 worth of medicinal products and devices on May 22 this year.
Mweso, who pleaded not guilty to the two charges of theft contrary to Section 95 (1) of the Penal Code as read with Section 95 sub-section 3 of Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority Act (2019), immediately applied for bail through her lawyer Sheila Malola on Friday.
In his submission, State prosecutor Alfred Chidzere told the court that police found various types of medicinal products at the suspect’s home.
However, Malola applied for bail arguing the suspect handed herself to police.
In his ruling, first grade magistrate Julius Kalambo agreed with the defence, saying Section 42 of the Constitution as read with Section 118 of the Penal Code grants the right to be given bail.
“I, therefore, grant bail to the accused on conditions that she should be bonded at K80 000 noncash and produce a reliable noncash surety bond of K50 000 and be reporting to police every Monday,” he said.
Kalambo adjourned the case to July 14 2021 when hearing will begin.
