Patuma Afiya set free

The Mangochi First Grade Magistrate Court has discharged Patuma Afiya of the offence of arson.

Patuma Afiya was arrested on 28 September 2022 and was later remanded at Mangochi prison together with her one-year-old son who is still breastfeeding.

In court, it was alleged that the accused in the month of September set fire to the house of a woman who used to have an affair with her husband.

Upon seeking legal assistance from Legal Aid Bureau, Afiya was represented in court by a lawyer from 5 October 2022. An application for bail was made and it was duly granted by the court.

For close to six weeks, however, state witnesses failed to appear before the First Grade Magistrate Court. On four occasions, the state failed to bring its witnesses to court to prove the arson charge. This led to an application being made for the legally aided mother to be discharged.

On 5 December 2022, the application was granted and Patuma Afiya was discharged under Section 247 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code.