15 arrested CCAP members appear in court: Plead not guilty and granted bail
The 15 members of Katondo C.C.A.P Church in Area 25C in Lilongwe who were arrested on Tuesday after they seized Church music equipment claiming ownership on Wednesday 27th September 2017 appeared before Nkukula Magistrate Court to be formally charged.
The members are accused of stealing praise team band equipment. They seized the equipment following their suspension based on disciplinary issues.
Mediation talks between the praise team members and Church authorities beared no fruits despite involving the police who later arrested the team members.
During their court appearance, they all pleaded not guilty to the offence of theft they are charged with.
Police Prosecutor Assistant Supt. Peter Pilingu told the court that the State will parade three witnesses that were absent during the court hearing.
He therefore pleaded with the court to adjourn the case to a later date to give the prosecution time to warn its witnesses.
First Grade Magistrate Cecilia Onsewa proceeded to grant bail to all the fifteen suspects on conditions.
The bail conditions included payment of K30,000.00 cash bail bond, provide one surety each with a non-cash payment bail bond of K50,000.00 and also to report at Kanengo Police Station every Tuesday.
They have also been barred from travelling long distances without seeking permission from police through Kanengo Police Officer In-Charge.
They have all since been released on bail after fulfilling the bail conditions.
The Praise Team Members are accused of stealling band equipment that include six microphone stands, one lead guitar, 13 mocrophone cables, 12 microphones, six speaker cables, one drum set, one 18 channel mixer, two mid timia speakers, two buss bin speakers and one Yamaha keyboard and many more worth about K3.5 Million.
The police are yet to recover the items.
The band members claim they are genuine owners of the equipment because they bought the equipment using money they realised from fundraising activities before they were suspended.
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koma CCAP kukonda ku court zoona court lizikuweluzani kukanika kukambilana?
All Church Committees and groups need to be educated that everything they do, be it fundraising or any activity that they do, they do so on behalf of the Church. We donate to such groups because they operate at the Church. If they were not part of the Church, it would b difficult for them to raise these funds.
Praise team, you have no right whatsoever to claim ownership of the equipment.
Iwe bengo, kaya umadzitcha ndani kumene uliko pathako pako, zikugwilizana Bwanji za chipani cha MCP ndinkhaniyi? Foolish
mchewa ndiwovuta. ndichifukwa chake sindingavotele Chakwela chifukwa azachita chimozimozi ndi katundu wadziko.
All monies realised in the name of the Church belong to the Church. Individuals cannot expect to own anything gotten in Jesus name in the house of the Lord. Thats misuse of Gods money
Chonde akhirisitu anzanga, lolelanani ndi kukambirani kuti nkhaniyi ithe mwamtendere. Ichotseni nkhaniyi Ku khoti kuti mukambirane kunja kwa khoti. Za kukhotizi tiyeni tiwatsiire atumbuka.