Court rebuffs suspects in K543.6m bank robbery case

The First Grade Magistrate’s Court in Mzuzu y.on Tuesday rejected an application to discharge two people suspected of playing a part in the K543.6 million ($957 042) robbery at Standard Bank Malawi Mzuzu Branch last year.

The two—Charles Moffat and Amos Jere—were arrested last year alongside other suspects after robbers broke into the bank and went away with K543.6 million. Moffat and Jere were later released on court bail.

Christon Ghambi, lawyer representing the duo, asked the court to consider discharging them on the basis that the State has failed to prosecute them since 2014.

However, the court dismissed the plea as well as another application to have a motor vehicle used in the robbery released to its owner identified as Javid Khan.

Ghambi argued that the delay in prosecuting the suspects has negatively affected their economic activities as they were barred from leaving Mzuzu.

However, State prosecutor Jacob Nambiri said there was no need to discharge the accused because the State would be ready to prosecute the case within 30 days from the day the application was heard.

However, magistrate Cuthbert Phiri varied the bail condition that confined the two to Mzuzu.

Vehicle hits pedestrian in Mzzimba accident

A woman is in critical condition after a vehicle hit her on Tuesday as she attempted to cross the M1 Road near the pedestrian crossing to Mzuzu National Bank of Malawi Service Centre. The vehicle is said to have swayed onto the opposite lane of the road after its driver lost control and hit the victim, and eventually a streetlight pole. Several vehicles were seen driving past the scene despite being waved down to take the blood-bathed victim to the hospital. It took almost 30 minutes before the victim was taken to the hospital by a police vehicle that was passing by. In the picture is the vehicle involved in the accident.—JOHN CHIRWA, Staff Reporter.