Kamuzu Central Hospital pathologist Andrew Mwale, who had examined former Coca-Cola Beverages employee Allan Wittika’s body, Wednesday told the court that his murder was well planned and highly and carefully executed.
Mwale added that the bullet that killed Wittika went through his mouth and exited through the head.
The doctor testified that the shooter had tampered with the exit point of the bullet.
“The shooting probably did not happen in the car, and the way the deceased was lying in the car was just a cover-up.
“The shooting was not done by a layman and the disposal of the body was carefully done and well executed,” Mwale said.
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Another witness Vincent Ngwira, a police fire arms and explosives expert, told the court that the gun that was used in the killing was different from what was described in the court.
“The firearm is a semi-automatic blowback pistol, and it has a stainless-steel magazine with a capacity of 17 rounds. Its barrel is obstructed, meaning that only blank ammunition can be fired in this weapon and not any other type of ammunition,” Ngwira said.
In the case, Lester Maganga is being accused of having a hand in Wittika’s murder.
Meanwhile, High Court judge Mzonde Mvula has reserved to a later date his ruling on whether Maganga should be granted bail.
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Maganga’s lawyer Powell Mkhutabasa made the fresh application after the initial one was thrown out, saying his client has spent 152 days in custody.
Mkhutabasa said releasing his client on bail would be in the interest of justice and that his further incarceration is a violation of Malawi’s laws.
“We are asking for bail conditions that would deter the suspect from interfering with any witnesses. The suspect is willing to relocate to his matrimonial house in Blantyre and stay away from Lilongwe,” he said.
But State lawyer Pirirani Masanjala asked the court to dismiss the bail application, saying bail is not an absolute right to Maganga and that, in the interest of justice, he should remain on remand.
The State has so far paraded nine witnesses and is left with 10 more.
Maganga is remanded to Maula Prison, having been arrested on October 20, 2023.
