LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-High Court Judge Redson Kapindu in the crime division on Monday, March 16, 2026 angrily rebuked private lawyer Powell Nkutabasa for the adjournment applications without proper grounds and explanations in the 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.
Kapindu was reacting after the lawyer Nkutabasa failed to show up during the first day of full commencement of the trial instead sent co-worker and lawyer Hardy Farook Mwawa for adjournment application.
This was the day scheduled for the commencement of case’s full trial after adjourned from January 13 this year.
The state through Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) prepared the day with two witnesses against the suspect.
When Mwawa appeared on behalf of defence defence counsel, he told the court that he was instructed by Nkhutabasa to seek an adjournment of the case considering that he was engaged with other matters in Blantyre.
Mwawa also told the court that Lin was not feeling well and needed time to be assisted hence application for adjournment.
However, despite Judge Kapindu granting adjournment he expressed disappointment the way the defence team prayer for the application.
“How could defence team notify a court for adjournment just an hour before commencement of full trial without proper grounds? Nkutabasa was supposed to furnish the court with proper reasons why he applied the adjournment.
“I have granted the applications on ground that the suspect deserves full legal representation and his sickness plea otherwise the ruling could go with cost on the defence team that this never happened again,” warned Kapindu.
ACB principal legal and prosecution officer Peter Sambani also agreed with the judge’s disappointment saying the adjournment had baring costs on witnesses who travel all the away from Zomba and Mzuzu for the case.
Sambani however told the court that the state is ready for the full trial with 16 witnesses against the suspect Yinhua.
Judge Kapindu therefore adjourned the case to a later while ordering the defence team to file the court with adjournment application that a proper date for full trial commencement of the case be fixed.
Meanwhile, Yunhua who remains on remand at Maula Prison in the capital Lilongwe 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 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.
