The High Court in Blantyre has granted bail to opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) parliamentary candidate for Blantyre City Centre, Kondi Msungama.
The candidate, who is facing charges of theft and impersonating a public officer, was rearrested in Blantyre on April 9 2019 after he breached bail conditions set by Lunzu Magistrate’s Court.
He was expected to report to Chileka Police fortnightly.
Msungama was first arrested on October 16 last year, alongside UTM parliamentary candidate for Blantyre-Bangwe, George Saonda.
Southern Region Police prosecutions officer Dickens Mwambazi confirmed in an interview Thursday that the High Court granted Msungama bail and was consequently released from Chichiri Prison last Sunday.
Mwambazi said Msungama’s lawyers had to reapply for the bail at the High Court because he could not have gone to the lower court that had already granted him the bail whose conditions he breached.
Mwambazi said the matter is coming in Lunzu Magistrate’s Court for hearing this Friday.
According to court records we have seen, Msungama, Saonda and a third person Daniel Masina Chikhaula are being accused of impersonating an Immigration officer to swindle a Blantyre-based Burundian businessperson, Emmanuel Gatera Alphonse, of K6 350 000 on an agreement they would process citizenships for him and eight members of his family.
The three are denying the charges of theft by false pretence and impersonating an Immigration officer. Saonda and Chikhaula are also on bail granted by the Lunzu Magistrate’s Court. n
