A camp court sitting at Maula Prison in Lilongwe has released at least 20 murder suspects on bail.

The High court judge Mzondi Mvula granted bail to the suspects at the Camp Court which was set up by Legal Aid in partnership with Paralegal Advisory Service Institute (PASI) and The Irish Rule of Law (IRLI).

Some of the suspects who have been granted bail have stayed on remand for a number of years and some up to five years waiting for trial.

Lilongwe-based Charles Satha who was suspected of murder, however, was discharged from prison as he was sick and needed home-based care that the facility could not provide.

Legally aided Charles Satha developed Immunosuppression and adult malnutrition while at Maula Prison and was using a wheelchair. At the prison, there was no one to look after him and he needed enough nutritional food supplements which were lacking at the facility.

Satha was arrested in 2018 and was granted bail in 2021. He, however, could not be released from detention because he failed to meet his bail conditions, which among others demanded that he pays MK80, 000 cash bond to the Government of Malawi.

At the time he was granted bail, the court ordered that his trial should commence within three months but the trial never kicked off more than a year down the line.

While other suspects have been granted bail, the Judge saw it fit to have Charles Satha set free.

On a sad note, however, reports reaching the Bureau are indicating that Satha died a few days after his release.

Through camp courts, matters are heard within the prison facilities and when bail applications are successful, prison facilities are decongested as suspects are released.

Information from Legal Aid Facebook Page