Update: Former Malawi Defence Force commander General Paul Valentino Phiri has been granted a K10 million cash bail following his arrest by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) over a suspected arms trafficking scandal. According to Nyasa Times, Senior Resident Magistrate Shukurani Kumbani set the bail conditions, which include two sureties bonded at K20 million each, and ordered Phiri to report to the police monthly. Phiri, who faces five counts related to abuse of office, procurement breaches, and dealing in terrorist property linked to the Sudan conflict in 2025, will see his trial begin on November 12, as reported by Malawi24.
Update: The Anti-Corruption Bureau is racing against an October 7 deadline to retain a restriction order on funds tied to the controversial purchase of the Amaryllis Hotel, Nyasa Times reports. The restriction notice prevents Yusuf Investments Limited from accessing the disputed Public Service Pension Trust Fund money. While High Court Judge Redson Kapindu recently finalised the restriction, investigators have less than a week before the three-month order expires, prompting ACB officials to promise action to prevent the funds from being released.
In community policing developments, Creck Hardware and General Supplies handed over a newly constructed K380 million police unit to the Malawi Police Service on September 30 to help combat crime in the Msundwe and Kalolo areas. According to Nyasa Times, company managing director Apostle Clifford Kawinga presented the 12-room facility to Inspector General of Police Richard Luhanga. Luhanga welcomed the donation, noting it provides a critical operational base in a district that has frequently experienced security challenges.