Collins Magalasi will sleep like a king tonight, but with bail papers in his pocket, after the DPP strategist arrived at court visibly unwell before walking out a free man.
Chief Resident Magistrate Austin Banda on Monday ordered Magalasi to pay a K2.5 million bond, provide two non-cash sureties bonded at K5 million each and report to police headquarters every fortnight.
Banda said Magalasi should be accorded his right to bail and allowed to seek medical treatment, noting that the State had not provided sufficient reasons for keeping him in custody.
Magalasi is answering charges of allegedly spying on President Peter Mutharika and other senior government officials through cyber means.
He is also facing fresh charges of money laundering, theft and facilitating fraud involving K3 billion from the Public Service Pension Trust Fund.
The State alleges that the fresh charges are linked to transactions surrounding Amaryllis Hotel.
Attention at the court, however, shifted to Magalasi’s health as he arrived for the proceedings.
The DPP strategist, who has reportedly been receiving medical treatment at ZMK Medical Centre in Lilongwe, struggled to get out of the police vehicle.
Police officers assisted him as he alighted before he leaned against the vehicle for about five minutes.
He later managed to walk towards the shelter designated for suspects, but appeared to struggle again when moving from the shelter into the courtroom.
The court’s decision now allows Magalasi to leave custody while the cases proceed.
