Lutepo bail withheld, to remain in custody until Dec 6

The High Court in Zomba has given the State up to December 6 to carry out investigations into businessperson Osward Lutepo’s alleged theft and laundering of K2.6 billion (US$650 000) in the cash-gate before it can determine bail for the accused.

Initially the State applied for 60 days to finale investigations in Lutepo’s case.

Delivering bail ruling today on behalf of High Court Judge Godfrey Mwase, Judge Zione Ntaba said while the accused is presumed innocent, the State made out a case that the money involved is substantial and the transactions were complex to investigate.

Ntaba ruled that it was, therefore, in the interest of justice to allow the State to carry out investigations and 21 days were enough for the State to do so.

Lutepo’s lawyer Jai Banda said there was nothing he could do now.

“I will talk to my client, but there isn’t much we can do but wait for December 6,” he said.

This means Lutepo will have until December 6 to hear if court will grant him bail or not.

Banda applied for Lutepo’s bail on Tuesday. Lutepo is currently remanded at Zomba Maximum Prison. However, Lutepos’s lawyer, Banda urged that his client’s life is in danger if he stays in prison for long.

When court sat on Tuesday, Banda argued that Lutepo handed himself to police, therefore, there was no reason to doubt that he can abscond case hearing.

“The accused has a number of business interests in Malawi and is director of several companies despite owning his own house in Naperi. He cannot leave all that,” Banda pleaded with the court.

State defense team, comprising Pilirani Bangula and Dziko Malunda however, pleaded with the court not to grant bail arguing that Lutepo’s case involves theft and laundering of about K2.6 billion which is a substantial sum of money warranting a sentence of 10 years in prison.