BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Public pressure has resurfaced on the office Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to grant consent and formally join the prosecution of Blantyre‑based Pakistani couple, Chaudhry Azhar Mahmood and his wife Neelam, accused of serious fraud and misrepresentation of diplomatic status.
The couple, who recently secured a temporary stay order from the Limbe Magistrate Court suspending warrants of arrest, face allegations of fraudulently obtaining Malawian citizenship, making false statements to public officers, and posing as consular representatives of Pakistan without accreditation.
Private prosecutors have already petitioned the DPP to consent to prosecute, with a crucial hearing scheduled for August 24, 2026, to determine whether the warrants should be vacated permanently.
Human rights activists say the matter has attracted significant public interest and requires the DPP’s direct involvement to safeguard the integrity of Malawi’s justice system.
“This is not a routine case. It borders on serious fraud and undermines the authority of our institutions. We continue calling on the DPP not only to grant consent to prosecute, but to also join the matter,” said one activist, James Kaphe, adding the DPP must show up and serve the public interest.
Legal experts argue that the DPP’s constitutional mandate makes his participation indispensable.
The DPP is empowered to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court, to take over and continue prosecutions initiated by others, and to discontinue proceedings where necessary.
By joining the Chaudhry matter, the DPP would not only lend weight to the prosecution but also demonstrate the state’s commitment to upholding the rule of law.
“The DPP cannot afford to miss this opportunity. This is one important case he needs to join,” said another South Africa-based lawyer, Khomba Mwamadi. “The allegations against the Chaudhrys strike at the heart of Malawi’s sovereignty and credibility.
Fraudulent claims of diplomatic status are not trivial, they undermine our obligations to foreign states and erode public trust in government institutions.
Journalists and lawyers alike have condemned attempts by defense counsel Bright Theu to attack the media.
He recklessly accused the media on his Facebook page weeks ago that journalists are being paid to write negative articles against his clients.
But the journalists and some lawyers insist that the real issue is whether the justice system will rise to the occasion.
“The DPP’s intervention would reassure Malawians that no one is above the law. Failure to act risks emboldening impunity,” said one lawyer.
In another matter against the same Chaudhry, a whistleblower reported him to Fiscal Police offices in Blantyre in June that he diverted materials meant for the Ministry of Energy’s Rural Electrification Project (MAREP) and stored them in a private warehouse.
For governance experts, human rights activists, and economic analysts, this was not just another scandal.
It was a chilling reminder of how one man’s unchecked impunity can corrode institutions, drain public resources, and undermine the rule of law in a fragile democracy.
He is also accused of lying under oath in court when he claimed he was a diplomat in Malawi representing the Republic of Pakistan and cleares cars duty free based on such false claims when he was not.
Court documents also show that a firm linked to him, Kumakoka Trading Company Limited, alongside two others, pocketed over K1.4 billion in advance payments under MAREP Phase 9 without delivering cables.
Kumakoka Trading alone pocketed over K523 million in advance payment from the Ministry of Energy, but did not deliver the goods.
His wife, Neelam Azhar Mahmood, faces arrest for allegedly falsely declaring Malawian citizenship to acquire land, in violation of the amended Land Laws (2022).
Therefore thanks to a stay order their lawyer obtained from Limbe Magistrate’s Court against a warrant of arrest.
Governance analyst Thomas Cham’dimba warned: “Falsely claiming diplomatic status amounts to impersonation, fraud, and offences against the state. Allowing such deception to go unpunished is a spat in the face of Malawi.”
International security expert Haswell Sikusa went further, urging authorities to revoke Chaudhry’s citizenship and deport him: “This is a matter of national security. Fraudulent claims of diplomatic privilege undermine the sovereignty of the state. If wrongdoing is confirmed, his citizenship must be revoked.”
Chaudhry’s reckless admission in court that he paid for a vehicle in London using British pounds exposed him for externalising forex, a direct violation of Malawi’s Exchange Control Regulations.
Chaudhry also faces several irregular land transfers from his name to Malhi Trust, belonging to his fimily, but recent reports show that some files are missing in the system at Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), raising a suspucion of some fraudulent transactions. He is being investigated on that.
Meanwhile, Sentinel Exports, an Indian supplier, is suing him for US$1.6 million in unpaid dues for police uniforms and equipment.
Despite being paid in full by the Malawi Police Service, Chaudhry allegedly failed to remit the agreed amounts.
