Update: Acting Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director-General Gabriel Chembezi is accused of using confidential case files involving opposition politicians to pressure the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), according to the Mail & Guardian. PAC Chairperson Steven Baba Malondera Kamsiyamo filed a formal complaint on April 22, alleging that Chembezi attempted to coerce the committee into clearing him of conflict-of-interest allegations regarding the K128 billion Amaryllis Hotel purchase. In related developments, the Nyasa Times reports that former Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba defied a PAC summons, while a former Reserve Bank of Malawi official called for the revocation of the Public Service Pension Trust Fund's licence over the hotel transaction.
In a separate legal matter, the High Court granted an interim injunction halting an executive order that banned public health workers from owning private medical facilities. According to the Mail & Guardian, Justice Howard Pemba issued the stay after three doctors challenged the presidential decree, arguing it was discriminatory and bypassed standard legislative processes. The government originally introduced the measure in February to address bribery and extortion in state hospitals.
Malawi's criminal justice system recorded its first formal plea agreement this week during a project led by the Pepperdine Sudreau Global Justice Institute. Pepperdine University reports that the legal team resolved seven capital cases during a three-day intervention aimed at reducing court backlogs. Chief Justice Rizine Robert Mzikamanda described the April 22 development as an important step for improving access to justice and easing severe prison congestion. He noted that the target facility currently holds nearly 3,000 inmates in spaces designed for 1,000.
Meanwhile, medical and legal advocates warn that pregnant rape survivors continue to face barriers when seeking safe abortion services. According to an April 22 report by the Nyasa Times, these medical procedures remain blocked despite a recent court ruling intended to guarantee access for survivors.