By Chisomo Phiri
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Lilongwe Principal Resident Magistrate Benjamin Chulu on Thursday denied bail to Lin Yunhua, a Chinese convicted wildlife trafficker and money launderer, who is facing fresh corruption charges.
Yunhua, currently serving a 14-year sentence at Dedza Prison, is accused of two counts of corrupt practices and five counts of abuse of office.
In court,the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) legal officer Peter Sambani opposed Lin’s bail application, citing flight risk concerns.
He argued that Lin should remain in custody due to the seriousness of the charges.
Magistrate Chulu agreed, ruling that Yunhua poses a flight risk.
The court’s decision means Yunhua will be available for trial when the case commences on June 4, 2025.
According to the ACB, Yunhua allegedly attempted to bribe a judge through a prison officer in 2019 while on remand.
Furthermore, it is alleged that Yunhua convinced prison officers to grant him temporary release to shop and visit his home in Area 9 while incarcerated at Maula Prison in 2022 and 2023.
