By Edwin Mauluka

Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Simplex Chithyola Banda, was on Tuesday released on bail after being charged with abuse of office in connection with an alleged MWK25 billion payment to East Bridge.

During a bail hearing at the Principal Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe, the State — through Director of Public Prosecutions Fostino Maere — told the court that Chithyola allegedly committed the offence between October 2023 and September 2025 while serving as finance minister under the former ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

Maere said Chithyola authorised several payments to the Smallholder Farmers Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) for the procurement of farm produce under a commodity exchange deal involving a Romanian firm, East Bridge.

Under the arrangement, East Bridge was expected to supply 600,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser in exchange for agricultural commodities. However, the company allegedly failed to deliver the fertiliser, resulting in a reported loss of MWK25 billion.

Principal Resident Magistrate Benjamin Chulu granted Chithyola bail on several conditions, including payment of MWK2 million cash bail, provision of two traceable sureties bonded at MWK5 million non-cash, surrender of travel documents upon return from a parliamentary trip to Namibia, and monthly reporting to National Police Headquarters in Area 30, Lilongwe.

Chithyola, who was arrested on Sunday by Fiscal Police, is expected to take plea once this case is consolidated with another involving two additional accused persons.

Earlier, Maere told the court that the State would not oppose bail once Chithyola was formally charged. He added that investigations have been completed and the prosecution is ready to proceed, estimating that the trial could take about three days once hearings begin.

Chithyola’s lawyer, George Jivason Kadzipatike, welcomed the State’s position and said the defence had no objections to the bail conditions.

“We are very happy with the bail conditions,” Kadzipatike told reporters after the hearing.

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