Crime investigator Bauleni Thinda has told the court that he obtained a warrant of arrest for Lester Maganga after being satisfied with the facts connecting the accused to the death of Allan Wittika.
He also says the suspect, at some point, warned and threatened to deal with Wittika for having a relationship with Olive Nkhono, who is also a State witness.
Nkhono was also dating the accused.
“I was satisfied with the facts that’s why I went ahead to obtain a warrant of arrest. He told us that he was not in the country at the material time, but the facts were reasonable to arrest him,” says Thinda.
Defence lawyer Lusungu Gondwe is showing the witness the travel documents indicating that Maganga was not in the country between 17 and 25 September.
The travel documents include a passport, Visa, electronic tickets, bank transaction records done in USA, custom and border protection website and call logs.
The call logs indicate that Maganga’s phone was not inactive between 17 (last day the phone was used) and 25 September 2023 (the day the line returned to life).
According to the documents, Maganga left the country for USA on 17 September 2023 and returned home on 25 September 2023 through Chileka Airport in Blantyre.
The passport contains exit and entry stamps from Chileka Airport.
Thinda says the “call logs are doubtful authority” and he cannot not trust them.
Asked whether he agrees with the documents that Maganga was in USA, the witness responded “I agree”.
Asked if he could confirm that Maganga was not in the country having seen the travel documents, the witness responded “the documents show he was outside of country”.
Asked when Mr Wittika died, the witness responded “20 September 2023”.
