Supreme Court grants bail to ‘cashgate’ woman

The Supreme Court of Appeal in Blantyre on Tuesday granted bail to Kettie Kamwangala, one of the four businesswomen suspected of being involved in the Capital Hill cashgate.

Kamwangala was arrested on November 5 2013 and charged with money laundering and theft of K28 million from government between July and September this year. She pleaded not guilty.

The High Court in Lilongwe denied her bail and was remanded at Maula Prison in Lilongwe.

The appeal was in the chambers of Supreme Court judge Lovemore Chikopa. After the hearing, lawyer for Kamwangala, Chancy Gondwe disclosed that his client has been granted bail.

Gondwe said in granting the bail, Chikopa ordered that Kamwangala’s two vehicles and their blue books be surrendered to court and that the Road Traffic Directorate should ensure that the vehicles have been entered into caution.

Kamwangala’s house in Area 47 in Lilongwe and her plot in Area 6 should also be surrendered and secured.

“The court has also ordered her to surrender travel documents, not to leave town [Lilongwe] without written consent from court and report to police fortnightly,” said Gondwe.

There was, however, no cash bond for either her or her sureties, according to Gondwe. Dates for hearing of the case have not yet been set.