Malawi Police arrest fertilizer subsidy theft ‘master minder’: Court refuses bail
Police in Mzuzu have arrested a man believed to the master minder of a robbery of 29 bags of the government subsidized fertilizer worthy MK435,000 at Luvwere Admarc in Mzimba district in November 2012.
Mzuzu Police Station spokesperson Sergeant Maurice Chapola said Police apprehended the suspect Kapezela Grispin Gondwe 36, Traditional Authority Mtwalo in Mzimba District who has been at large, during a sweeping exercise.
According to Chapola, during the night of 10th – 11th November, 2012 Gondwe in the company of six other men all armed with Panga Knives allegedly invaded Luvwere Admarc and hacked security guards before tying them to a tree.
Police arrested five suspects and impounded a Pick-up vehicle which was used during their mission following a tip off after they spotted them transferring the bags from the pick up into a 36 seater bus because the Pick-up had broken down.
During Court appearance Police Prosecutor Emmanuel Kathumba objected Gondwe’s bail application saying the suspect is a flight risk since he has been on the run for months.
Kathumba also told the court that the suspect disguised himself as John Phiri at the time of arrest for fear of recognition
Senior Resident Magistrate Austin Banda concurred with the State saying the fact that Gondwe disguised himself gave the Court an indication that he was likely to abscond bail.
Banda then turned down the application and later adjourned the case to March 13th 2013 for hearing.
The State is expected to parade seven witnesses during the case.
