Tiyeni Malawians
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LILONGWE– Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Fostino Maere has reportedly advised the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to discontinue all corruption charges facing the convicted Chinese national Lin Yunhua, the alleged kingpin of the notorious Lin-Zhang wildlife trafficking syndicate
Highly placed sources at the Ministry of Justice have confirmed that all internal processes have been concluded, and an application seeking formal withdrawal of the charges will be filed before the High Court within the next two weeks.
Fostino Maere- Director of Public Prosecutions.
Lin Yunhua rose to infamy in Malawi after being arrested in 2019 for masterminding one of the country’s biggest wildlife trafficking operations. In September 2021, Lilongwe Magistrate’s Court, presided over by Chief Resident Magistrate Violet Chipao, convicted him on multiple counts including dealing in and possession of rhino horn as well as money laundering. He was slapped with a 14-year imprisonment with hard labour at Maula Prison.
The case involved huge seizures of contraband, including tonnes of ivory, rhino horns and pangolin scales believed to have been smuggled through Malawi as a transit point for the lucrative illegal trade across southern Africa.
While serving his sentence, the ACB hauled Lin before court on fresh corruption charges. He faced seven counts, among them two under the Corrupt Practices Act for allegedly attempting to bribe then Maula Prison Officer-in-Charge Aaron Ganyavu Kaunda with K30 million cash plus help to complete his house. The bribe was reportedly meant to influence Magistrate Chipao to give him a lighter sentence in the wildlife trafficking case.
He was also accused of abuse of office, with prosecutors claiming he used his connections to secure unauthorised outings from Maula Prison to his various residences in Lilongwe’s Area 9, Biwi, Kanengo and Bunda locations. Some reports also linked the allegations to attempts to bribe a High Court judge
Lin pleaded not guilty to all charges and the matter was later transferred to the High Court owing to its complexity and public interest.
In July 2025, President Lazarus Chakwera granted Lin a presidential pardon as part of the country’s independence anniversary clemency, a move that attracted widespread criticism from conservationists and members of the public. Following his release, the ACB moved swiftly to pursue the separate corruption case against him, with the Chinese national remaining in custody after his bail applications were rejected on flight risk grounds.
Lin Yunhua
The latest reported decision by DPP Maere to advise the dropping of the charges comes amid mounting public scrutiny on the Director of Public Prosecutions, who has in recent times been criticised for withdrawing or discontinuing several high-profile cases.
The development is expected to trigger fresh debate on the country’s fight against high-level corruption and organised wildlife crime.