MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called for an urgent and impartial investigation into the alleged forgery of a court order, warning that the suspected misuse of judicial documents could undermine public confidence in Malawi’s justice system.
Addressing the news conference on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 in Mzuzu Malawi Civil Society-Led Black Economic Empowerment Movement (MaBLEM) and Governance and Advocacy Group (GAG) urged political leaders and constitutional officeholders to respect the rule of law, separation of powers and independence of public institutions.
MaBLEM and GAG National Coordinator and Fryson Chodzi and Edward Kantuseya respectively co-hosted the press conference.
The duo expressed concern over a disputed document reportedly bearing what appear to be genuine court seals and stamps but allegedly containing false information and a forged signature.
They said the circumstances surrounding the document required thorough verification including establishing its origin, how it was prepared and circulated and whether official court materials or facilities were accessed or misused.
The organisations called on the Inspector General of Police to ensure an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the matter, stressing that no individual should be accused of wrongdoing before the evidence is properly examined.
They also urged the Chief Justice and the Registrar of the High Court to facilitate formal verification of the disputed document and cooperate with lawful investigations including a possible forensic examination of the document and the disputed signature.
The CSOs further called for relevant court registry records, case files, order registers and document-issuance procedures to be examined to establish whether any irregularities occurred.
They said authorities should consider applicable provisions of the Penal Code including Section 358 concerning forgery of judicial or official documents, subject to verification of the relevant law and available evidence.
Apart from the alleged forgery, the organisations expressed concern over political debate surrounding President Arthur Peter Mutharika’s reported private visit to South Africa and demands by opposition parties for First Vice-President Jane Ansah to address the nation on matters of public interest.
The CSOs argued that the President’s physical absence from the country does not, in itself, create a vacancy in the presidency or automatically transfer presidential powers to the Vice-President. They also said the absence does not automatically create a constitutional obligation for the Vice-President to address the nation.
However, the organisations acknowledged that Malawians have a legitimate interest in national affairs, urging the government to communicate appropriately about the management of the country amid challenges including fuel shortages, unreliable electricity supply, shortages of essential medicines, foreign exchange constraints and the rising cost of living.
They further called on the President, Vice-President, Speaker of the National Assembly and Members of Parliament to respect their respective constitutional mandates, avoid unnecessary institutional confrontations and ensure that accountability applies equally to government and opposition figures.
The CSOs also warned that fabricated or unauthenticated official communications attributed to the Judiciary, the Office of the President and Cabinet or other public institutions could mislead citizens, fuel political tensions and weaken public confidence in state institutions.
They urged the Judiciary and other public institutions to strengthen document-authentication procedures, access controls and record-keeping systems.
They also called on the Malawi Police Service, the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) and other relevant bodies to investigate credible reports of fabricated official communications within their legal mandates.
The organisations appealed to political parties, media houses, civil society groups and members of the public to verify purported official statements and court orders through recognised institutional channels before circulating or acting on them.
The groupings therefore reaffirmed their commitment to constitutionalism, human rights, judicial independence, democratic governance and public accountability, emphasising that credible allegations of misconduct must be investigated fairly without prematurely condemning anyone.
The CSOs said Malawi’s democracy depended on political leaders placing the national interest above partisan considerations, constitutional officeholders respecting their mandates and public institutions remaining accountable.
They stressed that political disagreements should be resolved through constitutional processes and that allegations involving the fabrication or misuse of judicial documents must be investigated impartially, with anyone found responsible for criminal conduct held accountable in accordance with the law.
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