The Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe is today expected to deliver a ruling on bail for former Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) Chief Executive Officer Collins Magalasi, who faces three additional charges of fraud, theft, and money laundering linked to transactions involving the Public Service Pension Fund and the proposed acquisition of Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre.
Magalasi appeared yesterday before Senior Resident Magistrate Shukran Kumbani for a bail application.
The State, represented by Principal State Advocate Festas Sakanda and Senior State Advocate Luckia Kassim from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, opposed the application.
Prosecutors argued that continued detention was necessary to preserve evidence, complete investigations, and prevent interference with proceedings.
However, even if the bail is granted, Magalasi will still remain in custody under a separate seven‑day remand order in a separate hacking case before Chief Resident Magistrate Austin Banda.
In that matter, he is accused of assisting another individual in hacking the phones of His Excellency President Peter Mutharika and other senior government officials.
