The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Senior Resident Magistrate Godfrey K. Nyirenda and auctioneer Praise Chimbilima Gondwe on Wednesday over the alleged illegal sale of a motor vehicle seized by the Office of the Sheriff in Mzuzu. According to Malawi24 and Nyasa Times, Nyirenda, who serves at the Mchinji Magistrate's Court, faces charges of misuse of office and providing false information to investigators. Gondwe, who operates Chimbilima Auctioneers and Estate Agents, is also charged with providing false information. The suspects are scheduled to appear in court on Friday to formally take their pleas.
In Mzuzu, civil rights organizations are demanding swift prosecution following the sexual abuse and murder of a four-year-old child in ZoloZolo Township. According to AfricaBrief, the Child Advocacy Centre and the Women Human Rights Defenders Network Malawi issued a joint statement on Wednesday condemning the crime. The child went missing on October 9 and was discovered dead the following morning in an unfinished building. Northern Region Police public relations officer Cecilia Mfune confirmed the arrest of three suspects aged between 20 and 22, noting that they are expected to appear in court soon.
Meanwhile, police in Balaka have pledged to intensify their crackdown on local crime following a spike in thefts of farm produce and equipment. According to the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, Balaka Police Station Officer-in-Charge Phillip Dinala met with management at Demeter Farm on Wednesday to formulate new security strategies. Farm officials reported that a lack of transport for police patrols had left their fields vulnerable to criminals, prompting police to commit to investigating the recent thefts and increasing their presence.
Update: Three former leaders of the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) have petitioned the Chief Resident Magistrate's Court in Lilongwe to block their recent arrest warrants. As reported by Nyasa Times, lawyer Khwima Mchizi argued that police are improperly pursuing Timothy Mtambo, Gift Trapence, and McDonald Sembereka over a 2020 case that the state already discontinued. The defence insists the new warrants, which allege the activists violated bail conditions, are unlawful because the original case was formally dismissed from court. A hearing is scheduled for Friday to address the application.