BREAKING NEWS: Lazarus Chakwera Risks Arrest

Former Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera has been implicated in a corruption case involving the issuance of a diplomatic passport, a development that could potentially expose him to arrest.

The matter has come to light ahead of a court appearance by former Immigration Director General, Charles Kalumo.

Kalumo is expected to appear before the Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate Court tomorrow, where he will raise preliminary objections to the charges against him.

He is accused of issuing a diplomatic passport to Nigerian businessman Dozy Mmobuosi in 2023.

But in court documents seen by ZBS News, his lawyer Chrispin Ndalama argues that the decision was not Kalumo’s.

Ndalama says his client acted on instructions from a sitting president at the time, a claim that places Lazarus Chakwera at the centre of the case.

The defence is also challenging how the case was initiated.

According to Ndalama, the matter falls under the Corrupt Practices Act and should have been handled by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), not the police.

He further argues that the case raises issues of functional immunity, suggesting Kalumo cannot be held personally liable for actions carried out under presidential authority.

Legal observers say if the court accepts this argument, the focus could shift to those who allegedly gave the directive.

That could widen the case significantly, with possible implications for former president Lazarus Chakwera.

The court is expected to rule on the preliminary objections after the hearing.