Tag Archives: Wildlife crimes and money laundering convict Lin Yunhua

corruption, Law and order, Malawi

Wildlife criminal convict and corruption suspect Lin Yunhua pardoned?

MaraviPost

DEDZA-(MaraviPost)-There are strong rumours indicating that an international wildlife criminal serving a fourteen years old jail term at Dedza prison, Lin Yunhua is among the 21 inmates pardoned by President Lazarous Cuakwera last Friday.

Our inside sources from Dedza prison on condition on anonymity told The Maravi Post that Lin who is also answering corruption charges before the Chief Resident Magistrate court in Lilongwe is set to be freed from the cell by latest tomorrow, April 23, 2025.

“Our boss, the Officer – In – Charge is just waiting for the final recommendation from the head office and all the pardoned inmates including Lin are expected to be out between this evening and tomorrow ,” two prison warders collaborated.

But in a phone interview, Dedza Prison Officer in Charge Chimwemwe Shawa refered this publication to the National Prisons spokesperson Charles Meke for response on the matter.

“Would you talk to our National Prisons Spokesperson Meke , he is the one responsible to comment on such issues ,” Shawa said.

But our efforts to reach Meke proved futile as his number could not be reached.

Our sources allege that Lin has been pardoned after serving just four out of the fourteen years years jail term, contrary to a presidential pardon statement signed by the Ministry of Homeland Security Principal Secretary Steven Kayuni, which claims that those pardoned have served at least half of their jail sentences and demonstrated good behavior .

Lin has been making headlines for attempting to bribe a high court judge to reduce his prison sentence , and bribing prison officials to be given special treatment in prison including visiting his businesses.

Wildlife crimes and money laundering convict Yunhua on Friday, March 14, 2025 confessed in the court sneaking out of the Maula prison to seek a number of services with support from warders.

Wildlife criminal convict and corruption suspect Lin Yunhua confesses sneaking out of prison to seek services

Yunhua made the confession when he was pleadeding not guilty to seven corruption and public officers use charges leveled against him.

Law and order, Malawi

Wildlife criminal convict and corruption suspect Lin Yunhua confesses sneaking out of prison to seek services

MaraviPost

…..Pleaded not guilty to seven charges…

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Wildlife crimes and money laundering convict Lin Yunhua on Friday, March 14, 2025 confessed in the court sneaking out of the Maula prison to seek a number of services with support from warders.

Yunhua made the confession when he was pleadeding not guilty to seven corruption and public officers use charges leveled against him.

When he appeared before Principal Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe today in the capital Lilongwe to take plea, Yunhua pleaded not guilty to all the seven counts.

The convict delayed the court during charges reading despite being supported with chinese interpreter.

Yunhua kept on interrupting the court by telling the Chinese interpreter that he did not corrupt any prison officer but rather he was helped to sneak out of the cell to visit his home, businesses.

“I understand the charges but I didn’t commit any of these charges. These prison officers were the ones who approached me to get help from me then they allowed me to exit the cell for other services including buying water,” confessed Yunhua.

But Magistrate Michongwe told the convict that the sitting was meant to reach charges to him by whether to deny or accept them.

Following a plea of not guilty, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) principal legal and prosecutions officer Peter Sambani told the court that the State will parade 10 witnesses to prove the case.

Eventually, Principal Resident Magistrate Michongwe has adjourned the matter to April 8, 2025 for the state to start parading of witnesses.

Yunua, currently serving a 14 year jail term at Maula Prison over wildlife crimes and money laundering, is facing two counts of corrupt practices with public officers and five counts of abuse of public office.

While on remand in 2019, Yunhua allegedly offered MK30 million but also promised to complete construction of a house for officer in charge of Maula Prison Aaron Ganyavu Kaunda as an inducement for the officer to engage the magistrate to give a lesser sentence in the initial case in 2019.

Later, in 2022 and 2023 while serving a jail term, the convict allegedly persuaded prison officials to go out of prison to buy farm inputs and other items but also go to his house at Area 9 in Lilongwe.

The Ant Corruption Bureau is accusing Lin of several charges including “corrupt practices with public officers” under section 24 (2) of the Corrupt Practices Act, Abuse of public office under section 25 B (2) of the same registration.

According to the charge sheet, Lin offered K30 million to Maula prison officer -in- Charge Aaron Ganyavu Kaunda to engage High Court Judge Violet Chipao for a reduced sentence .