BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Chief Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa has finally granted bail to 16 DODMA officials who were arrested over the abuse of K4.6 million Covid-19 funds.
The suspects re-applied for bail after the expiry of seven days that the Court gave to the State to conclude investigations.
In granting bail, Chirwa said the court is satisfied with the application by the defence.
The State did not object to the bail application but asked the Court to use its discretion to give strict bail conditions so that the suspects are able to honour court proceedings.
The officials include the department’s deputy director Mr Fyawupi Mwafongo, DODMA Public Relations Officer Mr Chipiliro Khamula and 14 others.
The K6.2 billion Covid-19 money caused a storm after it was learnt that over 80 per cent of the money went into allowances for officials instead of fighting Covid-19.
Mwafongo was charged with abuse of office where particulars stated that he authorized an amount over K4 million to be used as allowances and when asked he failed to account for it.
The second charge is theft by public servant and this applies on all the 16 where the particulars are that the 16 received allowances worth k4, 250, 000 for attending a meeting in Mponera at Linde motel for two days and failed to account for it.
