Chinese wildlife trafficker Lin Yunhua who was ordered to remain in custody over a serious flight risk is now a free man.
The State dropped its corruption case against him.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) filed a notice of discontinuance on Friday, 18 September 2026, bringing an end to the proceedings.
Lin was released from Dedza Medium Security Prison after the notice was filed.
“I have just received Lin’s release order, and we are proceeding to release him. I can confirm the development,” Senior Superintendent Chimwemwe Mike Shaba, Officer-in-Charge of Dedza Medium Security Prison, told Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ).
The development comes just days after the High Court’s Financial Crimes Division rejected Lin’s bail application and ordered him to remain on remand.
Justice Redson Kapindu ruled on 16 September that no set of reasonable conditions could adequately address the serious flight risk previously identified against Lin.
Justice Kapindu , however, directed the State to make a clear and expeditious decision on whether it intended to continue prosecuting him.
The corruption case centred on allegations that Lin offered K30 million and promised to complete a house for a prison official in an attempt to influence officials handling his earlier wildlife and money-laundering case.
Lin had pleaded not guilty to seven corruption and abuse of public office charges.
