The High Court has dismissed a K6.6 billion compensation claim against ethanol producer Press Cane Limited, according to Nyasa Times. High Court Justice Allan Hans Muhome struck out the lawsuit brought by medical doctor Steve Kamiza and 56 others, who alleged that waste spillage from the company's Chikwawa evaporation ponds had damaged local crops and farmland. In his ruling, Justice Muhome stated that the claimants failed to prove bad faith, noting that Section 19 of the Environmental Management Act protects private enterprises operating under a valid Malawi Environmental Protection Authority license. Following the court victory, Press Cane Chief Executive Officer Bryson Mkhomaanthu announced the completion of a K10 billion processing facility designed to convert plant waste into organic fertiliser and prevent future environmental hazards.
Update: Public demands are growing for the resignation of Acting Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Gabriel Chembezi following allegations of political blackmail, the Mail and Guardian reports. This develops earlier reports of a formal complaint filed by Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson Steven Baba Malondera, which detailed alleged attempts by Chembezi to derail the ongoing Amaryllis Hotel investigation. New details reveal that Chembezi allegedly tracked Malondera down in an unregistered black Mercedes Benz, offering confidential investigative dossiers on senior politicians in exchange for the committee clearing his name. According to Nyasa Times, citizen groups are heavily mobilising online to demand Chembezi step aside, while the ACB and national authorities have yet to issue an official response.