By Draxon Maloya
The Mzuzu Magistrate Court has denied bail and adjourned until 11th May 2021 when it will commence hearing a case in which branch managers for Mzuzu and Balaka Hallo Paisa bureaus are accused of defrauding the financial institution money amounting to K15 659 999.96 in an allegedly staged robbery.
The accused persons have been formerly charged and remanded to prison until when they will appear again in court for hearing on their bail application.
According to the Northern Region Police Deputy Public Relations Officer, Sub-inspector Maurice Chapola the two accused persons have been committed to Mzimba Prison which is serving as an isolation center for observation on Covid-19 before Intergration with other inmates at Mzuzu Prison.
Late last week a South African national, Muhammad Ibrahim Dhoda, who is operations Manager for Tona Capital-Malawi in Area 49, Lilongwe reported at Area 18 police station that unknown criminals invaded Mzuzu Hello Paisa shop and robbed cash amounting to Mk15,659,999.96.
Following the report an arrest was made of the bureau’s Branch Manager, Sydney Shawa and Victoria Mwale the Teller Supervisor, however Mwale has now been freed.
Interrogations led to Dedza where another suspect Francis Jere was nabbed just upon being transferred from Balaka when it was established that he conspired with the Mzuzu manager to conceal the misappropriated cash hence providing a mobile phone number of a thug (name withheld) to organize the robbery.
Meanwhile, Shawa and Jere have been charged with theft by servant contravening section 286 (1) of the penal code as led with section 271 (1) of the penal code.
Representing the state in the trial is Sub-inspector Felix Senzani from the Northern Region Police Prosecution Office, while the defence council is comprised of lawyers from Legal Aid and and another one from Jivason and Company.
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