LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The high court in Lilongwe once again failed to commence the trial of Chinese’ wildlife convict Lin Yunhua in case he attempted to bribe a Magistrate and prison officials when he was serving a jail term at Maula Prison.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) principal legal and prosecution officer Peter Sambani told this publication outside the court on Tuesday that the vehicle that went to pick Lin from Dedza prison where he is being held, developed a mechanical fault hence he could not make it to the court.
But our sources at Dedza Prison attributed Lin Yinhua failure to appear before court due to fuel unavailability.
However, Sambani assured the publication that the case will proceed tomorrow Wednesday as it was allocated two days, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Lin was in September 2021 sentenced to 14 years imprisonment on his wildlife crimes involving dealing with Rhino horns and Ivory but was released after serving 4 years on a Presidential pardon in July 2025.
This is comes barely two months after High Court judge Redson Kapindu on Monday, March 16, 2026 angrily rebuked private lawyer Powell Nkutabasa for adjournment application without proper grounds and explanations in corruption case involving wildlife crimes and money laundering convict Lin Yinhua.
Judge Kapindu warned Nkutabasa who is leading Yinhua’s defence team that the court will not tolerate unnecessarily adjournment application deemed to delay case proceedings.
Meanwhile, Yunhua who remains on remand at Dedza Prison is answering seven charges of corrupt practices with public officers and abuse of public offices.
High court judge Kapindu adjourned the case from January 13 to March 10, but later pushed today March 16, 20126.
He made the adjournment when he was making directions in the case, indicating that the case would run for three days.
Judge Kapindu ruled that within 14 days the defence should identify a competent interpreter for il client and counsel engagement
Among others, Lin is accused of offering K30 million to Aaron Ganyavu Kaunda who was the officer In charge of Maula Prison to engage then chief resident Magistrate Violet Chipao who was presiding over his wildlife and money laundering case, to give him a lesser sentence while he was on remand at Maula Prison in 2019.
On November 7, 2025 High Court Judge Redson Kapindu rejected Lin’s applications discharge on unlawful detention and bail application.
Kapindu cited the suspect being flight risk and the serious offences he committed might compromise the court proceedings.
The case arose shortly after Lin’s controversial presidential pardon in July, this year which was followed by his re-arrest by ACB.
The Festino Maere, the current Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) used be Lin’s lead defence team.
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