By Brenda Kayo:
The Lilongwe Chief Resident Magistrate Court has released Democratic Progressive Party vice president for the Central Region Alfred Gangata on bail.
Lilongwe Chief Resident Magistrate Austin Banda said the State failed to provide sufficient evidence that Gangata posed a threat to State witnesses or would interfere with them and that he should not be released on bail.
During court proceedings, Banda further criticised the State for not providing disclosures to the accused in a timely manner.
He said the State had brought the disclosures to court on Wednesday but failed to provide them to Gangata, who had been arrested on Monday.
During court proceedings on Wednesday, investigator from the Criminal Investigations Department at National Police Headquarters MacLucky Kamphandira claimed that the State did not know who Gangata’s defence lawyer would be and that that was why they failed to provide the disclosures.
However, Banda deemed this as a lame excuse for withholding the disclosures.
As a result, the court ordered the State to provide the necessary disclosures to Gangata within seven days.
Additionally, Banda faulted the State for unnecessarily transferring Gangata to another court and back.
On bail conditions, the court said he has to be reporting to National Police Headquarters and the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) offices after 14 days.
He was also ordered to pay an additional K1 million and surrender his travel documents to the court.
Defence lawyer Kwima Mchizi said he would be waiting for the State’s release of disclosures, including the charge sheet, as part of the legal proceedings.
“The case will proceed as the court deems fit. We anticipate receiving the disclosures and will thoroughly review them, including the charge sheet. If we identify any objections to the charge sheet, we will raise them at the appropriate time.” Mchizi said.
After the bail rulling, Gangata conducted a rally at Area 3 Market, where he addressed people on issues related to the September 16 Local Government, Parliamentary and Presidential Elections.
Gangata was arrested on Monday for possessing a Malawi School Certificate of Education certificate irregularly.
Gangata is accused by the police of committing fraud other than false pretence.
