LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Lilongwe Principal Resident Magistrate court has denied bail application for a Chinese wildlife trafficking and money laundering convict Yunhua Lin on grounds that he is a flight risk, and that he has no prosperity in Malawi to be withheld as surety.
Lin who is answering seven corruption related charges in relation to bribing prison officers to enjoy favours , and also attempting to bribe a highcourt judge to reduce his sentence applied for a court bail following his alleged release from prison for the first crimes .
The principal resident magistrate Benjamin Chulu denied Lin bail after examining arguments from the state and defense lawyers .
For instance, the state prosecutor Peter Sambani argued that Lin is a flight risk likely to abscond trial if given bail because he is a Chinese citizen whose family has already left for China .
Sambani, a Lawyer from Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) further, argued if Lin was able to allegedly find his way out of prison during his prison term , he would likely abscond full trial .
“Looking at the case at hand, the accused is known of manipulating the system where he can get out of prison to visit his home, farm and other businesses, the accused is at high risk of flying back to his country following a deportation order made during the sentence of the first crimes.
“We therefore request the honourable court to deny the accused bail until full trial of the case ,” said Sambani during the gearing of the bail application rulling .
But Patrick Kalimbuka, a defense lawyer represented Lin argued that his client remains innocent until proven guilty hence the court should consider releasing him on bail .
Kalimbuka further argued that all cases are bailable and that Lin could not abscond trial because he is running his business in the country .
“The arguments by the defense remains allegations until proven guilty by the court. Also, the accused is running businesses here, employ many Malawians and pay tax to government.
“This demonstrates his great impact to the social economic development of the country,” said Kalimbuka while presenting a land lease certificate for a farm that turn a haven of his illegal wildlife trafficking products.
But presenting the rulling, Magistrate Chulu agreed with the reasons against bail presented by the state and denied the accused bail .
“The court thoroughly scrutinized the land lease document and fount that the certificate did not bear the accused name ,” said Chulu .
He added, “The state has also expressed that the accused is a flight risk hence he was denied bail by the supreme court on same grounds.
“The cases he is accused of also leaves a lot of desired questions for him to be given bail. I therefore deny the accused bail.”
Chulu adjourned the case to June 4, 2025 for directions.
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There were strong rumours indicating that an international wildlife criminal serving a fourteen years old jail term at Dedza prison, Yunhua was among the 21 inmates pardoned by President Lazarous Cuakwera for Easter celebrations.
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However, following The Maravi Post publication over the matter, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) obtained an injunction stopping the move.
Eventually, environmental grouping also ganged against the move while condemning Presidential pardon committee on the his plans to be released from Dedza prison.