Court grants bail to man arrested with 100 bags of subsidy fertilizer

The Thyolo Second Grade Magistrates Court on Tuesday granted bail to Laston Mawilesi, 45 who was arrested on January 23 after being found in possession of 100 bags of fertilizer on a condition that he pays K 40,000 as a bail bond.

Before granting the bail, the court heard through Police prosecutor Sub Inspector Mbiri Ntengerenji that Mawilesi was driving a 3 tonne lorry registration number NU4714 from Mulanje to Bvumbwe before he was intercepted by the police officers who were on night patrol.

“It was during the wee hours of January 23 when Mawilesi who was accompanied by a friend (Gerald Mazinga) and was driving the said vehicle which had 100 bags of fertilizer were caught by the police after failing to tender proper documentation of the fertilizer,” said Ntengerenji who added that Mawilesi also tricked the police when he showed them fake papers but the plan was foiled because they were recognized to be fake.

Mbiri Ntengelenji nonetheless, appealed to the court not to grant bail to the accused because he was a hard to find person as he had two addresses to his name which are Mulanje and Bvumbwe.

However, Second Grade Magistrate Mtunduwatha Mpaso granted the bail to Mawilesi despite the state objection.

Mawilesi, who is being charged with two counts; giving false information to police officer to avert the course of justice contrary to section 122 of the Penal Code and being found in possession with items suspected to have been unlawfully obtained contrary to section 329 has since denied the charges.

Police Public Relation Officer Edith Kachotsa said during interrogation, Mawilesi who is a farmer said he bought the fertilizer from farmers in Mulanje and was taking the fertilizer for sale at Bvumbwe market before he was apprehended.

Mawilesi comes from Nsona village Traditional Authority Mabuka, in Mulanje. – Reporting by Sungani Nyoni and Pemphero Musowa

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