High Court yet to set date for Chanthunya bail ruling: To make plea May 31

High Court Judge Redson Kapindu is yet to set the date to rule whether to grant bail to murder suspect, Misozi Chanthunya,  who is being accused of murdering his Zimbabwean girlfriend Linda Gasa in 2010.

Gasa’s body, a 25-year-old Malawi College of Accountancy (MCA) student, was found buried under a concrete floor in a bathroom at Mwala Cottage in Monkey Bay, Mangochi, which allegedly belongs to Chanthunya.

Chanthunya, who is currently on remand at Chichiri Prison in Blantyre, escaped to South Africa in 2010 allegedly with the assistance of some law-enforcers after being questioned by police in Blantyre following the discovery of Gasa’s body at the cottage.

On April 30, Justice Kapindu adjourned the case until further notice.

Chief senior state advocate Dzikondianthu Malunda confirmed that the date is not yet set.

Before adjourning the case, lawyer representing Chanthunya,  Chrispine Ngunde told the court that his client should be granted bail.

“Chanthunya has been in custody for six years and four months since he was arrested in 2012 in South Africa, that is a long time and he needs to be granted bail,” he told the court.

Ngunde added that he did not escape to South Africa after his warrant of arrest was issued but left for Zambia on August 19, 2010 after the alleged incident had happened on August 4, 2010 and that it was before the warrant of arrest which was issued on September 21, 2010.

However, Ngunde, who was not available for interviews as advised by his client, observed that this being the case, there is no evidence that he fled to South Africa from Malawi as in that he was escaping justice.

But, Senior State Advocate, Pilirani Masanjala, said it was not necessary for the court to release Chanthunya on bail arguing that he will take plea soon.

“Chanthunya is expected to enter plea on May 31 and that is just soon, therefore, as State, we think it is not proper that he should be granted bail,” he said.

Masanjala, also said Chanthunya was a flight risk and there was no guarantee that if he was released on bail, he would appear for trial.

Justice Kapindu adjourned the case until further notice to rule on the application.