Rapper Fredokiss will have to wait a little longer before his fate starts taking shape as hearing of his election-related case failed to take place yesterday due to Covid-19 measures put in place by the courts in Mzuzu.
According to a schedule of work for July and August at Mzuzu Registry, the magistrates are working on shifts to decongest the court premises.
This has affected the hearing of a case involving Fredokiss, real name Penjani Kalua, who is accused of offering handouts during the last presidential polls contrary to Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Act (PPEA).
In an interview, his lawyer Leonard Mbulo said the chief resident magistrate Gladys Gondwe was scheduled to hear the case yesterday, but hearing failed as she has been allocated to work on Mondays.
“We have been advised by the registry that we will be given another date when the case will commence. As of now, we will just be waiting to hear from the court on the new date,” he said.
According to prosecutor Lloyd Banda, the State is expected to parade eight witnesses when hearing begins.
The Dear Jah Jah hit maker, together with two others, was arrested in Rumphi on June 23 by the Malawi Defence Force soldiers and was subsequently handed over to police.
He was granted bail the following day after being charged with the offence of “using fraudulent means to induce another person to vote for/against a particular candidate or party” contrary to Section115(6) of the PPEA and Section 41 of the Political Parties Act.
The three pleaded not guilty when they first appeared before court earlier this month.
