The Kasungu First Grade Magistrate court has remanded Prophet Bentley Canan to prison for ten days to allow the state conclude its investigations.

Canan who leads the New Life Installation Christian Church in Kasungu is suspected to have defiled a 16 year old house girl from November last year to March this year.

But Canan has pleaded not guilty before magistrate Damiano Banda.

In the court he prayed for his constitutional right to bail, saying he is a Malawian citizen, a leader of a well established ministry and runs small scale businesses such that he wouldn’t abscond bail.

He also pledged to comply with any conditions the court would set saying he would not interfere with any investigations.

But Magistrate Banda granted the state it’s wish to remand the suspect and consider his bail application after the period.