Malawi VP Chilima resignation fake letter: JB sister, two others, charged and granted bail 

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Lilongwe Magistrate Court on Thursday, released on bail Cecilia Kumpukwe, sister to Malawi’s former president, Joyce Banda and two others, following their arrest in connection with the fake resignation letter supposedly written by Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima.

The police this week, first arrested People’s Party (PP) official Stella Assani , then Kumpukwe, and later cornered Stanley Mkwala.

The trios have consequently, been formally charged on ground of creating a false document, which is contrary to section 353 of the Penal Code.

Therefore, publishing of false news, likely to cause fear or alarm, which is contrary to section 60 of the Penal Code warrants the arrests.

All three, Assani, Kumpukwe and Mkwala, are represented in court by lawyers Nicely Msowoya, Bright Theu and Chimwemwe Sikwese respectively.

After appearing in the Court, the State, represented by prosecutors Mwai Kalua, and Nappier Chafikana, failed to justify the trio’s arrests.

They therefore, requested the Court that the State be given seven days to finish investigations, especially in interviewing the witnesses. The State prosecutors also request the Court that the suspects be on remand while waiting the completion of the investigations.

However, the defense team challenged the State’s demands, and applied for bail of the three, which Senior Resident Magistrate Chisomo Nsokera, granted on conditions therein, quashing prosecutors’ plea to refuse bail.

Senior Magistrate Nkokera argued that the State needed to give compelling grounds or evidence as how the defendants will interfere in investigations, which they say they are yet to interview the witness.

Nkokera quashed the State’s accession reasons of interference as too general and said it doesn’t demonstrate how the defendants would interfere.

He therefore, proceeded to order the release of the three accused on bail, but on condition that they surrender their travel documents.

Magistrate Nkokera however, ordered the three accused to pay MK400,000 cash, and two sureties, bonded with MK150,000 non-cash each.

The Court further ordered that Assani and Kumpukwe, who are based in Blantyre, must report to Southern Region Police Headquarters every Tuesday before 12 p.m., until the case ends; while Mkwala must report to National Police Headquarters in Lilongwe.

The case has been adjourned to May 29, 2017, when the suspects are expected to take their pleas before the Court.

After the release of three suspects, there was jubilation amongst People’s Party (PP) supporters who were at the Court, lead by the party’s acting president Uladi Mussa, and PP’s members of parliament.

PP supporters sang and danced while singing sarcastic songs, accusing the police of being a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) tool for harassing and silencing the opposition, and that the arrests were politically motivated.