Update: The High Court of Malawi has formally dismissed a constitutional challenge regarding the criminalisation of begging, reinforcing earlier coverage of the ban. According to Nation Online, a three-judge panel ruled that Section 180(b) of the Penal Code remains valid and does not violate the Constitution. The court rejected arguments from 13 applicants who claimed the law discriminates against persons with disabilities and unfairly restricts their right to economic activity.
In other recent crime and court developments, a Mchinji man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison following a defilement conviction, The Daily Times reports. Meanwhile, Face of Malawi indicates that police have arrested a 33-year-old suspect linked to a house break-in at Ekwendeni Trading Centre.
Law enforcement agencies are also investigating two tragic local incidents. According to Face of Malawi, a kabaza operator took his own life in Lilongwe. In an unrelated case, police in Kasungu reported that a man died by suicide after consuming acid.