The Lilongwe Principal Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday allowed the State to continue keeping in custody UTM Party president Dalitso Kabambe’s bodyguard Callisto Khama Matumbi for two more nights to facilitate conclusion of investigations.
Matumbi was arrested on Sunday at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe for being found in possession of a pistol as Kabambe presented his presidential election nomination papers to Malawi Electoral Commission.
He is facing two charges in relation to possession of a gun, the first being carrying an offensive weapon and the other is carrying a weapon at a nomination centre contrary to the code of conduct for the elections.
The State yesterday asked the court for more time to investigate the matter, saying they required an extra day to have an expert confirm that what Matumbi carried was a rifle and ascertain if he was licensed to have the weapon.
Matumbi, through his lawyer Khumbo Soko, applied for bail on the ground that his arrest was unlawful.
But in his ruling yesterday, principal resident magistrate Benjamin Chulu said the court held the view that the arrest was lawful as there was reasonable ground for executing it.
He granted the State its prayer for further detention of the suspect and asked the parties to return to court on July 31 2025.
“The court is of the view that the State requires more time to complete investigations and the court grants the State more time to investigate the matter,” said Chulu.
In an interview, Soko said the defence will await the court’s decision.
