The Lilongwe Resident Magistrate has on Thursday, April 22 denied bail to senior government officials Rashid Mtelera and Martin Mainja and a contractor Dominic Chimaliro in a case involving the plunder of Covid relief funds.

The State though Prosecutor Levison Mangani on Wednesday, April 21 asked the court to remand the suspects for a further 14 days as police are concluding Investigations.

Presiding over the case Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa has since given the State nine days to conclude investigations into the matter.

Resident Magistrate Chirwa has further indicated that on the expiry of the nine days, the State may apply for further remand of the three in the event that it has still not concluded its investigations.

The three however are answering four charges in relation to the alleged misuse of K97.1 million which was part of the K6.2 billion Covid funds.