Court Reserves Bail Ruling For Mapeto Officials To Tomorrow

Blantyre Resident Magistrate’s Court has reserved its ruling on an application to release on bail five senior officials of Mapeto David Whitehead and Sons.

The officials were arrested yesterday for alleged tax evasion.

One of the lawyers representing the accused persons, Jai Banda, asked the court to release on bail Faizal Giffard Latif the company director, managing director Muhammed Gaffar, financial controller Abdul Rashid Bakali, procurement manager Yaseen Muhammad and general manager Martin Mpata, arguing that the suspects cannot flee the country.

But the state, through its lawyers Anthony Chungu and Beatrice Mwangwera, objected to the defence’s bail application saying it was premature.

After hearing from both parties, Senior Resident Magistrate Akya Mwanyongo reserved the ruling on the bail application to tomorrow afternoon.

This means the five will spend another night in a cell.