29 court arsonists plead not guilty: Bail denied
The 29 people who were arrested in connection to the burning down of South Lunzu Magistrates Court in Machinjiri Township last week, have pleaded not guilty to the charge of arson and have since been remanded to Chichiri Prison.
The 29 were part of the angry mob that torched down the court building on Wednesday 3rd February, 2016 after mistakenly thought that some of the suspects that were tried at the court were responsible for the death of a businessman who, some weeks ago, was found dead with his face mutilated.
Two police officers were injured during the fracas in which official vehicles were also damaged.
On Monday the arrested suspects who appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Chikondi Mandala, pleaded not guilty to the arson charge.
However, Mandala turned down bail application for 26 of the suspects and ordered them to be remanded at Chichiri Prison until police investigations are over.
Three others, who are minors aged between 15 and 17, are being held at Blantyre police station pending bail hearing on Tuesday 9th February, 2016.
The 29 suspects have been charged of Arson under Section 337 (a) of the Penal Code.
An angry mob last week maliciously damaged South Lunzu Magistrates Court before setting it on fire on allegations that that some of the suspects that were brought to court by both Ndirande and Chileka police prosecutors were murder suspects.
Efforts by court authorities to reason with the mob seemed to have only eased the tension until the court sessions were over, when the angry mob at Luwanda trading centre regrouped.
The mob started stoning the court building, believing that the suspects they were after, were hidden in the court building.
Two of the police officers who rushed to the scene of the incident to calm the situation were injured and were referred to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) for treatment. Two police vehicles were also damaged during the fracas.
Two people were arrested during the fracas while 27 others were arrested following the law-enforcers’ investigations.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Kkkkkk @1 It’s remand and not remind.
Kodi apolisi anasintha uniform?
Wapolisi muli vindere .There is no one on remind for burning two aged couple in Karonga yet those burned police unit are reminded for longer.Does it mean the government condon mob just in Karonga only?