Mchacha, Vuwa Kaunda and Others Walk Free as High Court Drops Kanjedza Land Fraud Case

LILONGWE — The High Court has formally discontinued the high-profile corruption case involving former cabinet ministers Hon. Charles Mchacha and Symon Vuwa Kaunda and two other former senior officials.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Fostino Maele, issued a Discontinuance Certificate, leading to the court order signed by Honourable Justice E. Ngwira Makibinga on May 26, 2026. This brought an end to Criminal Case Number 1 of 2021.

The case originated from arrests by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in late 2020 and early 2021. The four accused Mchacha, Vuwa Kaunda, Lloyd Muhara and Bright Kumwembe faced charges linked to the alleged illegal acquisition of public land in Blantyre’s Kanjedza Forest Reserve, a protected area under the Department of Forestry.

Mchacha, who served as Deputy Minister of Irrigation and Water Development, was accused of using his influence to secure the plot. He faced charges that included enticing public officers to act corruptly. There were also reports of him allegedly using insulting language towards an investigative journalist looking into the matter.

Vuwa Kaunda, the former Minister of Lands, was charged with abuse of office and entering a corrupt transaction. Court evidence reportedly included an allegation that he transferred K50,000 via mobile money to an investigative journalist in an attempt to influence reporting on the Kanjedza issue.

Lloyd Muhara, the then Chief Secretary to the Government, was accused of abuse of office for his alleged role in facilitating the administrative aspects of the transaction. Bright Kumwembe, former Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, faced charges of giving false information to public officers during the land processing.

The court order, issued under Section 99 (2) (c) of the Constitution and Section 77 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code, confirms that the case against the four has been discontinued. However, it does not bar the State from recommencing proceedings or bringing fresh charges based on the same facts within six months of the order.

The DPP is required to furnish written reasons for the discontinuance to the Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly within 10 days, as stipulated by Section 99(3) of the Constitution.

The move has triggered public debate, with questions raised about accountability in high-level graft cases. While the DPP holds constitutional authority to discontinue prosecutions, critics have pointed to a pattern in cases involving politically connected individuals. Supporters argue the decision may stem from evidentiary or procedural considerations after years of delays.

The ACB, which investigated and initiated the matter, was not responsible for the discontinuance. The bureau had earlier secured a preservation order on the disputed land plot associated with Mchacha.

This development effectively pauses at least for now one of the notable land-related corruption prosecutions from the early 2020s. Attention will now turn to the DPP’s explanation to Parliament and whether the State elects to recharge within the six-month window.