The State has withdrawn Aisha Ali – third accused person in the alleged Oman Trafficking in Persons (TIP) deal case.

Making the withdrawal application before Chief Resident Magistrate Madalitso Khoswe Chimwaza in Lilongwe, State Prosecutor – Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Levison Mangani said the State has made the decision in order to use the freed Ali as witness in another trial before the Senior Resident Magistrate’s court.

“We would like to use the third accused person as a witness in another case involving her boss,” told the court Mangani.

Meanwhile, the court has also granted the defense two applications to have access to call logs and phone number which the first State witness was using whilst in Oman.

“This court holds the view that the applications made by defense have nothing to do with the prosecution case as they speak much of a defense matter as such for the purposes of a fair trial, there is no need to labour the State in accessing the call logs in Oman on defense’s behalf,” read out the ruling Magistrate Chimwaza.

In an interview, one of the defense lawyers Umali Mataka said the defense is ready to send its expert to Oman to access the call logs.

“We are very ready, in fact we have already identified these two individuals, the voice expert is available as well as an independent is also available,” he stressed.

The court has since denied another application by the defense to have the have the matter adjourned for 30 days with an aiming allowing facilitation of the processes.

The remaining accused persons are Tinenenji Toppie Ebbex Nsaku, Goodson Makala, Chancy Namaheya, Douglas Banda, Killion Kathakamba, Happiness Nkhoma and Manase Robster Nyirenda.