Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate, Syreen Chirwa, has reserved her ruling until Tuesday on a bail application by lawyers for outspoken academician, rights activist and politician, Dr. Jessie Kabwila.

Dr. Kabwila, who was personally in court this morning where she came riding at the back of a police vehicle, has been formerly charged on two counts of proposing violence at an assembly (in reference to her call for the resignation of MEC chair Dr. Jane Ansah), and altering words of prejudice (in reference to the pending constitutional court ruling) on the presidential election case.

 

Kabwila has pleaded not guilty on both counts.

 

The former parliamentarian will now spend a third night in police cells before she shows up at court again tomorrow to hear her bail application fate.

 

Responding to her bail application, the state prayed that she be kept in police custody on the basis that she would be safer there and was likely to break another law if let out.

 

Dr. Kabwila, an ardent follower of the UTM party, came to court wearing a gray suit. She briefly addressed her supporters before jumping back on the police van.

 

"First, let me thank you for coming. The second thing is osaopa (do not fear). The third thing is, the court has not denied me bail. God does all things on time. It's only hours before we reach tomorrow. The court will do its job," she said to an eruption of ululation, song and dance. Kabwila addressed the supporters because they had begun reacting to the fact that she had not been granted bail.

 

Her lawyer Khwima Mchizi told Zodiak Online that he hoped the courts would find merit in the basis of their bail application and grant the same.

 

"That's our prayer but it is solely for the courts to decide on the application," said Mchizi adding that he hoped for an environment where people respected the work of the courts in reference to what briefly happened outside the courts.

 

UTM and the Malawi Congress Party presidential candidates in the 2019 election are in the Constitutional Court demanding the nullification of MEC results in the race on the basis that the process was mismanaged citing alleged irregularities.