Chief Resident Magistrate Paul Chiotcha ruled in Blantyre on Monday that Dutch national Wim Akster has a case to answer regarding five charges of sodomy and gross indecency, according to Pan African Visions. Akster, who was initially arrested in 2020 while working at the Timotheos Foundation, has consistently denied the allegations of engaging in illegal sexual activities.
The court determined that the prosecution established a prima facie case after presenting seven witnesses. The defence team has been granted 21 days to consult on their next legal steps. The matter is scheduled to return to court on May 20, 2026, with Akster remaining on bail.
In a separate development, a recent report by the Mail & Guardian highlights a sharp increase in violence against the elderly in Malawi. The report points to the December 2023 bludgeoning death of 78-year-old Eliza Supuni by her grandsons as an example of witchcraft-related murders. The Malawi Network of Older Persons Organisations reports that 11 elderly people have been killed over witchcraft accusations in the first four months of 2026 alone.
Authorities continue to rely on the colonial-era Witchcraft Act of 1911 to prosecute these offenses. The act does not recognise witchcraft but criminalises the act of accusing someone of practising it.