Court gives bail to Kalindo, remains in police cooler.

Principal Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe has granted bail to Malawi’s political activist who is now a police customer, Bon Kalindo after battling with bedbugs for two nights in a cooler over allegations of publishing material likely to cause public alarm.

During his bail rulling Michongwe blamed the state in arresting Kalindo before gathering enough evidence.

Kalindo will however, remain in police custody as he awaits another bail rulling later today over a case of being found in possession of a fire arm without a licence.

The case was adjourned yesterday after the state prayed for further detention of the accused in order to finalize investigations.

However, the State made an application before the court to remand Kalindo for five days in order for it to carry out investigations on the issue.

This is a case he allegedly committed in 2021, when he went to Police Headquarters with a gun in order to get a licence, according to police investigator Innocent Kasambara.

Kasambara while responding to defence lawyer Khwima Mchizi on how the police knew about Kalindo’s firearm, said the suspect took the gun to the police to ask for a permit which was not supposed to be the case.

He added that Kalindo was not arrested at that time but the police believed he had committed an offence and gave him a chance to provide information on where he had acquired the gun,but he has not done so up to date.

Mchizi then wondered how the police will ensure Kalindo gives them the information after all the years, saying his client had chosen to exercise his right to remain silent.

Another defence lawyer Gilbert Khonyongwa wondered why the State needed five days to get the information from Kalindo:

“Do you want to violate his right to remain silent? He has chosen to remain silent,” emphasised Khonyongwa.

Kalindo was arrested on Wednesday.