The Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate Court has granted bail to Energy Minister Newton Kambala, Presidential Aide Chris Chaima Banda and Aford leader Enoch Chihana who were arrested by the Anti Corruption Burea (ACB) on Monday for attempting to influence the awarding of fuel contracts at the National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma).

According to the charge sheet read by Senior Resident Magistrate Florence Msekandiana, Kambala who is th first accused, is being charged with an offence of attempting to influence a public officer to abuse her office. The second charge is misuse of public office.

Second accused Enock Chihana has been charged with an offence of attempting to influence a public officer to abuse her office, while the third accused presidential aide Chris Chaima Banda has been charged with an offence of attempting to influence a public officer to award a contract of 40 thousand metric tonnes of fuel to two foreign companies one of them Trafigura.

The three were accused by NOCMA CEO Hellen Buluma of interfering in her company’s fuel supply contracts.

All the accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Granting the bail, Senior Magistrate Florence Msekandiana ordered the three to pay a cash bond of 200 thousand kwacha each and non cash sureties of 10 million kwacha each. They have also been ordered to surrender their traveling documents and report to the ACB every fortnight.

State lawyer and ACB Director General Martha Chizuma did not object to the bail application.

The three were arrested for their alleged involvement in the fuel supply saga that almost threw the country into a fuel crisis.