The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has discontinued criminal proceedings against former Reserve Bank of Malawi Governor Dalitso Kabambe, his deputy Henry Mathanga, former Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha, former Secretary to the Treasury Cliff Chiunda, and two others.
According to a letter dated 11 February 2026, seen by Malawi24 and signed by prosecutor Violet Palikena Chipao, the DPP’s office stated that any existing bail conditions for the accused have been lifted.
The communication, however, notes that the State reserves the right to revive the case within six months should new and substantial evidence emerge.
The DPP further indicated that it will submit the reasons for discontinuing the matter to Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee within ten days, in line with established legal procedures.
Kabambe, Mathanga, Mwanamvekha, Chiunda, Samuel Chilembwe Malitoni, and Elvis Thodi had been facing charges of abuse of office and financial mismanagement.
The allegations centered on the handling of K6.2 billion in COVID-19 funds and claims that false information was provided to the International Monetary Fund regarding a US$350 million loan obtained by the central bank from the African Export-Import Bank.
In a related development, the DPP has also discontinued criminal proceedings in a separate case involving former Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi Board Chairperson and current Minister of Energy and Mining Jean Mathanga, former ESCOM Chief Executive John Kandulu, and two others.
That case concerned the alleged mismanagement of K4.6 billion in procurement transactions dating back to 2016.
The discontinuation of both matters is likely to draw public and political attention, given the high-profile individuals involved and the scale of the financial figures cited in the original charges.
