Attorney General Frank Mbeta has denied that his office authorised the Public Service Pension Trust Fund’s purchase of the Amaryllis Hotel, saying his legal advice was “deliberately or carelessly misinterpreted,” according to Nyasa Times. Nyasa Times reports that Mbeta said his opinion only guided trustees to meet prudential and regulatory requirements, and that the final investment decision remained with the pension fund’s board.
In a related legal accountability debate, the Malawi Law Society has called for changes to curb what it described as unchecked powers of the Director of Public Prosecutions after the discontinuance of several high-profile corruption prosecutions, according to Nyasa Times. Nyasa Times reports that the Society said the current framework allows cases to be terminated with limited judicial oversight after the DPP issues a certificate discontinuing proceedings, and cited discontinued matters involving Dalitso Kabambe, Henry Mathanga, Joseph Mwanamvekha, Jean Mathanga, and Cliff Chiunda.