BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Fresh revelations have emerged surrounding the controversial sale of the Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre, with lawyer Alexious Kamangira alleging that two senior government ministers benefited from the transaction.
Kamangira claimed that Minister of Finance Joseph Mwanamvekha and Minister of Sports Youth and Culture Alfred Gangata are among individuals connected to the deal involving the luxury hotel.
Speaking on Saturday afternoon, the lawyer also mentioned three other figures he says are linked to the matter.
These include Attorney General (AG) Frank Mbeta, Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Ireen Chikapa and National Bank.
Kamangira expressed concern over the silence of Finance Minister Mwanamvekha on the issue, especially considering that about MK90 billion has already reportedly been paid to the hotel’s owners.
According to Kamangira, it would be difficult for such a large amount of public funds to be released without the knowledge or involvement of the Minister of Finance.
Meanwhile, the trustees of the Public Service Pension Trust Fund (PSPTF) have appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to answer questions regarding the controversial purchase of the Amaryllis Hotel.
During the proceedings, the Board Chairperson disclosed that the Acting Director of the Anti Corruption Bureau attended a Board meeting held on 17 November 2025 and made a presentation on behalf of a law firm in which he is reportedly a partner.
The Chairperson also defended the process followed in the transaction, stating that the Secretariat was not sidelined as the Principal Officer, who heads the Secretariat, was present throughout the discussions.
He further revealed that the draft sale agreement for the hotel was prepared by a law firm known as Knight and Knight, which had been recommended to the Board by Nico Asset Managers.
According to the Chairperson, the Board had no ill intentions when pursuing the deal.
He explained that he only assumed office on 6 September 2025 and believes he has already made meaningful contributions to the Fund beyond the Amaryllis Hotel transaction.
However, the hearing exposed divisions within the Board, with seven of the ten trustees who appeared before the committee stating that the Investment Committee was supposed to report back to the full Board on the viability of the purchase after being assigned the task on 25 October 2025.
Some trustees also alleged that the Board’s sub committees were formed in an undemocratic manner by the Chairperson, who reportedly shared the structure through a WhatsApp group before consulting other trustees.
The marathon parliamentary hearing, which began on Friday morning, stretched late into the night and finally concluded at exactly 2:42 a.m. on Saturday.
PAC Chairperson Steven Baba Malondera announced that the committee will continue with the proceedings next week as it seeks further clarity on the controversial transaction.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Renowned human rights lawyer Alexious Kamangila has warned that Malawi’s fight against corruption cannot succeed while Attorney General Frank Mbeta remains in office.
Kamangila went live on Facebook on Friday, urging citizens and leadership to take action to protect the country’s integrity.
He alleged that Mbeta has long-standing professional ties with Lovemore Chikopa SC, Wapona Kita, Ken Manda, and Edgar Kachere, who he claims have been involved in corrupt practices for years.
“You cannot fix Malawi when the Attorney General is Frank Mbeta,” Kamangila said, pointing to past injunctions obtained by Mbeta at the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) that blocked investigations into his own activities.
Kamangila also criticized Mbeta’s influence over key cases, including alleged demands for money during the 2019 presidential election dispute, suggesting that his presence enables corruption rather than deters it.
He emphasized that his concerns are not personal but reflect the urgent need for accountability and protection of public resources.
Directly addressing President Peter Mutharika, Kamangila warned that meaningful anti-corruption reforms cannot take place with Mbeta in such a key role. “I want to challenge President Mutharika that you can not change Malawi with Frank Mbeta as Attorney General, never.”
He encouraged citizens to remain vigilant, stressing that even influential figures like Chikopa SC are not more powerful than the collective will of the people.
He concluded with a call to action, urging Malawians to safeguard their nation. “God is good all the time, and this is the moment for us to rescue ourselves,” Kamangila said, emphasizing that civic engagement is essential to fight corruption at all levels.
Lawyer Alexious Kamangila’s Facebook post is a scathing critique of the current administration, accusing it of hypocrisy, corruption, and a blatant disregard for national security.
His argument is built on historical references, specific incidents, and a strong appeal to the collective memory of Malawians who expected change but instead feel betrayed.
At the heart of Kamangila’s critique is the assertion that the ruling government is engaging in corrupt activities at a scale three times worse than the previous administration.
This comparison is significant because the current government came to power on a platform of reform, accountability, and justice.
Yet, Kamangila argues that the very acts that led to public outrage against the past regime are now being repeated—if not exceeded—by the current leadership.
One of the most damning allegations concerns the case of Uladi Mussa, the former cabinet minister who was jailed for selling Malawian passports to foreigners.
Kamangila reminds his audience that Mussa’s actions were not just a crime but a national betrayal, as passports are key security documents that determine who can enter and leave a country.
Despite this, the government released Mussa from prison under the pretext of ill health, only for him to be seen actively participating in political meetings.
This, according to Kamangila, is evidence of selective justice—where criminals are only punished when it suits the political interests of those in power.
Kamangila then shifts his attention to an even more alarming issue—the government’s decision to grant a diplomatic passport to a Nigerian national with a criminal record.
A diplomatic passport is a highly sensitive document, usually reserved for individuals representing the nation on official duties.
By granting such a privilege to a known criminal, the government not only endangered Malawi’s international reputation but also raised serious concerns about national security.
The circumstances surrounding the issuance of this diplomatic passport further expose the level of irregularities within the system.
Kamangila notes that the passport application process was initiated after 5 PM—outside government working hours—immediately after the Nigerian individual met with the President.
Such an expedited process raises questions about the influence and decision-making within the highest offices of government.
Former President Bakili Muluzi is also implicated in this controversy.
Kamangila calls Muluzi a “kam’dala kadyera kwambiri” (a greedy old man) and accuses him of being part of the corrupt elite that has been benefiting from Malawi’s resources for decades.
He extends this critique to Muluzi’s son, Atupele, questioning whether he has ever earned wealth outside his father’s influence.
This suggests that Kamangila sees Malawi’s politics as a cycle of dynastic corruption, where a few privileged families continue to exploit national resources, regardless of which party is in power.
The post also touches on the role of big business in sustaining corruption.
Kamangila mentions Thom Mpinganjira, a businessman previously implicated in banking fraud during the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) era, who he claims is now benefitting under the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) government.
This reinforces the argument that corruption in Malawi is not about political affiliation but rather about access to power and resources.
Kamangila then issues a direct challenge to Malawi’s immigration officers, Homeland Security, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demanding an explanation for how a criminal was granted a diplomatic passport.
His demand underscores a broader frustration with the lack of accountability in government institutions, where …
The High Court in Lilongwe has today issued an interlocutory injunction restraining lawyer Alexious Kamangila from making, writing, or publishing any statements about High Court of Malawi Commercial Division Judge Kenan Manda until further notice. This ruling underscores the court’s commitment to upholding the integrity of its judicial officers and addressing any alleged defamatory statements.
Judge Manda’s lawyer, Michael Goba Chipeta, confirmed the development to Nation Online, stating that he had already emailed the injunction document to Kamangila due to the urgency of the matter. Chipeta elaborated, saying, “The court marshal also called the defendant in my presence to inform him that the other documents, including summons, are at the court. Kamangila informed the court marshal that he will advise where the documents should be delivered.”
The court order, issued by Judge Simeon Mdeza, warns Kamangila that he risks being held in contempt of court should he disobey the injunction. This legal action comes in response to allegations made by Kamangila in Facebook posts, in which he purportedly claimed that Judge Manda engaged in fraudulent conduct.
Attempts to reach Kamangila for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls. The situation highlights the ongoing tensions within Malawi’s legal community, as allegations of misconduct are taken seriously by the judiciary.
In a demand letter issued earlier, Judge Manda is seeking K250 million in compensation from Kamangila for the alleged defamatory remarks made on social media. This case has drawn attention not only for its implications for the individuals involved but also for its potential impact on public trust in the judiciary.
As this legal battle unfolds, it raises important questions about the balance between free speech and the responsibility of individuals, particularly legal professionals, to maintain respect for the judiciary. The court’s decision to issue an injunction reflects its intent to protect the dignity of its judges and the judicial process as a whole.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Justice Dorothy Nyakaunda Kamanga has found private practice lawyer Alexious Kamangila guilty of perjury for fabricating facts and lying under oath in a criminal case where the lawyer was defending a murder convict.
In her ruling, sitting as a High Court Judge, dated 16 September 2024, Justice Kamanga bashed Kamangila for being dishonest and lying under oath in his affidavit to release his client from custody.
Kamangila was defending Wyson Big Bannet who, together with Myson Viera Chizizira were convicted of murder way back in 2013 in a homicide case which was tried by the late High Court Judge Justice Joseph Manyungwa.
Justice Kamanga said is her ruling that at the time of the demise of Justice Manyungwa in 2013, the judgement against the second defendant (Bannet) remained pending, thereby necessitating the formulation of a case management protocol to assign another judicial officer to prepare and render the judgement.
“After delivering the judgement on 19 April 2018, both the prosecution and the defence were instructed to prepare and file submission as a plea to mitigate the sentence. For reasons presumably known solely to the involved parties and their legal practitioners, this directive has not been complied with, despite numerous reminders disseminated through the office of the Registrar,” said Justice Kamanga.
She also noted that Bannet committed the crime in 2007 but the trial was heard in 2013 and the judgement passed in 2018 and said ‘the main delay that this court deems justifiable pertains to the interval between the demise of the trial judge and the delivery of the judgment’.
She bashed the defence lawyers for the delays occurring between when the judgement was passed and sentencing describing their conduct ‘delay tactics and professional negligence’.
Justice Kamanga therefore sentenced Bannet to 36 years imprisonment starting from the day of his arrest.
But she had no kind words for lawyer Kamangila.
“In the current case, it was procedurally inappropriate for the defendant and his legal practitioner to exploit the passing on of the trial judge and the ensuing delays in reassigning the case to seek applications before courts for unconditional release and discharge,” said Justice Kamanga.
“It is quite perplexing that the defendant and his legal counsel, who has thus far neglected to furnish the necessary documentation relevant to sentencing, are disseminating erroneous information about the legal status of the defendant and the progress of the proceedings in this homicide case, seemingly aimed at undermining the judiciary as a foundational institution and its judicial officers.”
“The judgement that determined the second defendant’s guilt and resulted in his conviction was delivered in his presence, along with that of his legal practitioner at that time on 19 April 2018, thus the current efforts by his counsel to indirectly challenge the conviction by portraying and staging the convict in a motion and in the media as a long-term remand prisoner is to ‘act without diligence’ and is deemed unprofessional and unethical conduct on the part of the lawyer, which the court will not condone,” said Justice Kamanga.
“The defendant and his legal counsel demonstrated a reluctance to conform to the established practices and procedures relevant to the management of criminal cases. It appears that their primary motivation is a desperate endeavour to evade the sentencing process by filing motions before various judges and engaging in litigation within the media sphere, possibly in an attempt to harass and influence the sentencing court to discharge the offender without adhering to the requisite due process.”
“It is regrettable and lamentable that recently some members and leaders of the Malawi Law Society seem to have become enmeshed in a form of publicity contest, wherein they exploit the circumstances of litigants to draw attention to themselves and the noble legal profession, thereby diverting focus from the essential professional responsibilities of legal practitioners and the ultimate objective of improving access to justice for all,” said Justice Kamanga.
“How the defence has managed this case, indicates a significant level of incompetence on the part of the legal practitioners who claim to assist the second defendant. It is also observed that Counsel Alexious Kamangila engaged in perjury in paragraphs 9 to 13 of the sworn statement in support of the application for release, discharge and effective remedy that was filed on 12 July 2022, wherein he swore that the defendant is innocent and is awaiting judgment despite the defendant being fully aware that he appeared in court on 19 April 2018 for the delivery of the judgement.”
“There is always a risk of perjury when parties make statements under oath or counsel swear affidavits on behalf of their clients. Furthermore, it is imperative that when legal practitioners seek to represent a party in a specific matter, they must file and serve a notice of change or appointment of a legal practitioner before undertaking the handling f that matter in compliance with the law.”
“Had the aforementioned legal practitioner adhered to the proper procedure of engaging lawyers, he might have respected the actions of the other lawyers regarding the case and been more informed about the previous proceedings, thereby avoiding the pitfall of fabricating facts, lying and perjury,” said Justice Kamanga.
She said the Bannet retains the right to apply for an appeal against both the conviction and the sentence imposed.
According to Section 102 of the Penal Code, perjury in a written statement is punishable by 7 years imprisonment while Section 105 of the Penal Code, fabricating evidence is punishable by 7 years imprisonment. Section 106 of the Penal Code provides that false swearing before a commissioner for oaths is punishable by 2 years imprisonment.
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