Update: Following his release on bail by Principal Resident Magistrate Benjamin Chulu, Leader of the Opposition Simplex Chithyola Banda has issued a public statement regarding his recent arrest. Chithyola Banda faces a K25 billion abuse of office case linked to a controversial fertiliser exchange deal involving the firm East Bridge. According to Nyasa Times, the opposition leader stated he holds no bitterness toward law enforcement officers, described his detention as an instructive chapter, and urged Malawians to pray for national unity.
In other justice news, a wave of witchcraft accusations has led to the killings of 11 elderly people in the first four months of 2026, according to data from the Malawi Network of Older Persons Organisations. To address the violence and curb mob justice, the Special Law Commission has finalised a review of the colonial-era 1911 Witchcraft Act. The Mail & Guardian reports that the commission recommends Malawi legally recognise the existence of witchcraft and criminalise its practice, proposing a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for offenders.