Immediate-past president Lazarus Chakwera’s aide Godfrey Arthur Jalale has pleaded not guilty to the charge of theft of four German Shepherds worth K4 million from Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe during the transition.
Police on Friday arrested Jalale, who served as State Residences deputy chief of staff during Chakwera’s tenure.
In court yesterday, Lilongwe senior resident magistrate Robert Botha told the suspect that he was answering a charge of theft.
Particulars of the offence are that Jalale allegedly took custody of the dogs between September 19 and October 4 2025.
But Jalale pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following the plea of not guilty, State prosecutor Felix Senzani prayed for further detention of the accused, saying investigations are still underway and that the dogs are yet to be recovered.
He told the court that the State found it necessary to arrest him before concluding investigations.
“We are asking for seven more days to conclude investigations. We want him to be further incarcerated as we investigate the matter,” said Senzani.
But private practice lawyer Khwima Mchizi, who is representing Jalale, objected to the State’s plea for further detention of his client.
He highlighted that by yesterday, the State had already violated the 48-hour bail rule of bringing the suspect before court.
Mchizi said Jalale was arrested on Friday and the State took the suspect to court on Tuesday.
“For them to come before this court of law after 48 hours and pray for further detention of the accused is without basis. The State can carry out investigations while the suspect is out on bail,” said Mchizi, asking that his client should be released with or without bail.
Botha reserved his judgement on both the bail application and plea for further detention of the accused person to today.
Chakwera and his team vacated State House in September following his loss in the September 16 General Election to President Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party who was sworn-in on October 4 2025.
