Lilongwe Principal Resident Magistrate Court has granted bail to UTM Secretary General Patricia Kaliati who has now been charged with conspiracy to kill President Lazarus Chakwera alongside two other accomplices.
Principal Resident Magistrate Rodrick Kumichongwe freed Kaliati despite the police arguing that she stays in custody for a further seven days for them to conclude investigations
However Kumichongwe faulted the law enforcers for effecting the arrest before concluding the investigations.
The UTM Secretary General has been asked to pay K1 million non-cash surety, K500, 000 cash surety and is expected to be reporting to Area 30 Police headquarters fortnightly on Monday.
One of the defence lawyers Khwima Mchizi described the process of getting bail as hectic but worthwhile.
“It is what we prayed for and it is what it is supposed to be; it’s unfortunate that at times the State would want to over overstretch its mark. Malawi chose a democratic dispensation. We have our 1994 Constitution clearly guarantees right to Malawians. It’s unfortunate that the state sometimes they overstretch their muscles.
“It’s an argument that’s been repeated over and over again and I wonder why the State doesn’t take heed; if they’re to arrest someone they ought to arrest after investigating that person cause you can only say A has probably committed an offence having evidence to that effect.
“Now if you have arrested before investigating, what was the basis for the arrest? So our argument is that the government should do better. They should investigate and then arrest after investigation”.
Kaliati was arrested on Thursday last week in what the Malawi Police described as a conspiracy with others to commit a serious offence (felony) and the politician has been under their custody since then.
