The Principal Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe has denied bail to Chinese national Lin Yunhua, serving a 14-year sentence at Maula Prison for wildlife crimes and money laundering.
Lin now faces two counts of corrupt practices involving public officers and five counts of abuse of office. The allegations against Lin stem from his actions while in remand in 2019.
It is claimed that Lin offered K30 million and promised to help complete the construction of Maula Prison officer-in-charge Aaron Ganyavu Kaunda’s house, in exchange for influencing the magistrate overseeing his wildlife crimes and money laundering case.
Additionally, while incarcerated between 2022 and 2023, Lin is accused of convincing prison officials to allow him to leave the prison for errands, including buying farm supplies and visiting his residence in Area 9, Lilongwe.
In his ruling, Principal Resident Magistrate Benjamin Chulu agreed with the State’s argument that Lin posed a flight risk and could evade trial if released. The court emphasised the importance of keeping him in custody to ensure his attendance in court and the proper progression of the case.
Peter Sambani, Principal Legal Officer for the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), supported the denial, stating that it would prevent Lin from further attempting to influence proceedings. “We would have started parading witnesses, but this is a new magistrate handling the case. Understandably, he needs to set the direction for how proceedings will move forward.”
Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned to June 4, 2025.
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