By Pemphero Malimba:
Three people who are answering two counts of aggravated robbery at the Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate Court have pleaded not guilty to the changes levelled against them.
This transpired during court proceedings Tuesday.
The three are Felix Magaleta, Adam Tsoka and Aubrey Banda.
Last month, police arrested Magaleta and Tsoka for allegedly using force to steal two cellphones belonging to Brian Thondoya, who later died in Area 25.
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Later, during the first court appearance, Senior Resident Magistrate Wanangwa Nyirenda remanded Magaleta and Tsoka to Maula Prison for seven days to allow the State to complete its investigations, with Central West Police Region prosecution officer Dalireni Kalanguluka telling the court yesterday that investigations were completed and that the State had added another count of aggravated robbery and Banda as one of the suspects, alongside Magaleta and Tsoka.
Kalanguluka told the court that the three allegedly used force to steal K100,000 and a cellphone from Suzgo Kumwenda.
The court, therefore, formally charged the three with two counts of aggravated robbery.
But the three denied the charges and prayed to the court to grant them bail.
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But Kalanguluka objected to the prayer, arguing that considering the seriousness of the cases, the two might be tempted to run away from the case.
“We are aware that it is everyone’s right to be granted bail. But considering the seriousness of these cases, and that the suspects do not have permanent houses in Lilongwe, they are prone to move away from Lilongwe anytime they might want. So the most important thing is the availability of the accused persons,” he said.
He disclosed that the State has eight witnesses to provide evidence in the case.
Senior Resident Magistrate Wanangwa Nyirenda ruled that he would reserve his ruling to today.
Magaleta and Tsoka are also answering five murder charges alongside another accused person Dyson Sinedi.
Magaleta, Tsoka and Sinedi are suspected of having a hand in the murder of Thondoya, Promise Spider, Anthony Banda, Peter Chalusa and Mussa Tondo in Area 25 between May and July this year.
