Blantyre Magistrate’s Court has released on bail Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Shadric Namalomba and UTM Party patron Noel Masangwi after their arrest for misuse of public office and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Namalomba, who is also former president Peter Mutharika’s spokesperson, was arrested on Wednesday while Masangwi was picked yesterday.
The bail followed an application by their lawyers Felix Tambulasi, Chancy Gondwe and Luciano Mickeas representing Namalomba and Edward Zimphonje representing Masangwi.
In the application, the defence argued that the two were of good standing in society as they handed themselves to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) upon being summoned, as such, they cannot jump bail.
Delivering the ruling on the bail application yesterday afternoon in a jam-packed courtroom, senior resident magistrate Asunta Maxwell released Namalomba and Masangwi on condition that they paid K1 million cash bond and two sureties of K2 million non-cash bond each.
“They must also surrender any travelling document that they possess to the ACB and report to ACB once every fortnight on Fridays before noon,” she ordered.
Before delivering the bail ruling, Maxwell read four counts, including misuse of public office and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Reads particulars of count four: “Shadric Namalomba and Noel Masangwi, between January and March 2015, at Blantyre and Lilongwe in the Republic of Malawi, conspired to commit a felony, namely abuse of office contrary to Section 25B of the Corrupt Practices Act by the unlawful facilitation and exportation of mukula logs, a product prohibited under Malawian law by Gazette Notice No. 18 of 2008 of (Control of Goods) (Import and Export) (Commerce) (Amendment No.3) Order dated 5th day of September 2008, and corruptly bypassing customs procedures.”
Earlier, ACB prosecution officer Michael Kalonga notified the court that the State was not ready for the accused persons to take plea and asked the court to give them 14 working days to prepare and serve the defence with disclosures. Maxwell granted the prosecution its wish.
