Ephraim Mbewe Malitino’s boasts about powerful connections and physical strength have come at a K900,000 price after a court found him guilty of five road traffic offences.
The 60-year-old has paid the fines after pleading guilty to five charges under the Road Traffic Act at the Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe, bringing an expensive end to the traffic offences that exposed his extraordinary sense of entitlement.
Malitino shot to notoriety after a video emerged showing him verbally attacking officers from the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services (DRTSS), who had stopped his vehicle for allegedly being driven without registration number plates.
Instead of addressing the offence, he turned the roadside encounter into a show of arrogance, questioning the officers’ authority, throwing insults and boasting that he had connections powerful enough to challenge them.
“Let’s contest. We should see who has connections. Let’s see who is big. Don’t do that with me. I’m even more powerful physically,” he told one of the officers.
In another astonishing moment, Malitino appeared to suggest that the officer should abandon his public duty and work for him, offering to pay him so they could see what would happen the following day.
His performance attracted widespread condemnation, with many Malawians questioning how a motorist could mistake a traffic officer enforcing the law for someone who needed to be impressed by his connections or intimidated by his physical strength.
But the courtroom proved a different stage. State prosecutor Richman Tchuwa from the National Police Headquarters told the court that Malitino faced six charges, five under the Road Traffic Act and another under Section 88(1)(a) of the Penal Code for intimidation.
Malitino pleaded guilty to the five traffic offences but denied the intimidation charge, setting up a separate court battle over the allegation.
Senior Resident Magistrate Shukran Kumbani fined him K100,000 each on counts one, three and five, K400,000 on count two and K200,000 on count four.
The court further ordered that he should serve 30 days in prison if he failed to pay the fines. He has since paid the full K900,000.
The intimidation charge remains unresolved, with proceedings adjourned to allow the State to call witnesses.
Renowned social media commentator Onjezani Kenani had earlier shared the viral footage with a blunt assessment: “The rule of law is gone. What remains is anarchy.”
The video also attracted praise for the officer, who remained remarkably calm despite Malitino’s repeated attempts to provoke and intimidate him.
Malitino had challenged the officer to find out who was bigger, boasted about his connections and suggested that money could buy the officer’s loyalty. He has now paid K900,000 for the traffic offences, while the intimidation allegation awaits its day in court.
Gold hunt ends in tragedy in Kasungu
A risky search for gold turned fatal in Kasungu when an abandoned mine suddenly caved in, trapping two men underground and leaving their families mourning what began as a desperate attempt to earn a living.
Rad full story at: https://malawi24.com/2026/11/04/gold-hunt-ends-in-tragedy-in-kasungu/
Two men have died after an abandoned gold mine collapsed on them while they were allegedly conducting illegal mining activities at Siliuka Village in Kasungu District.
Kasungu Police Deputy Public Relations Officer Miracle Hauli identified the deceased as Stenala Kapiti, 40, and Mikeyasi Mbewe, 24.
According to Hauli, the incident occurred at a gold mine that had been closed for the past three years. Despite the closure, the two men reportedly continued extracting gold from the site without following the required legal procedures.
The tragedy unfolded when the abandoned mine suddenly collapsed while the pair were underground, trapping them beneath the debris.
Concerned villagers alerted officers from Chigunda Police Unit, prompting an emergency response involving police officers and medical personnel.
Rescuers managed to retrieve Mbewe’s body from the collapsed mine, and a medical examination later established that he died from suffocation.
Recovery efforts later continued for Kapiti, whose body remained trapped inside the collapsed shaft following the accident.
Kapiti hailed from Chiwaya Village under Traditional Authority Kawinga in Machinga District, while Mbewe came from the area of Traditional Authority Simlemba in Kasungu District.
The incident has once again brought into sharp focus the dangers associated with illegal mining, particularly at abandoned sites where weakened underground structures can collapse without warning.
For many people in mining communities, the lure of quick income often outweighs safety concerns. However, this latest tragedy serves as a painful reminder of the life-threatening risks faced by those who venture into disused mines in search of precious minerals.
Authorities have since urged members of the public to avoid abandoned mining sites and to follow legal mining procedures to prevent avoidable loss of life.
The 60-year-old has paid the fines after pleading guilty to five charges under the Road Traffic Act at the Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe, bringing an expensive end to the traffic offences that exposed his extraordinary sense of entitlement.
Malitino shot to notoriety after a video emerged showing him verbally attacking officers from the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services (DRTSS), who had stopped his vehicle for allegedly being driven without registration number plates.
Instead of addressing the offence, he turned the roadside encounter into a show of arrogance, questioning the officers’ authority, throwing insults and boasting that he had connections powerful enough to challenge them.
“Let’s contest. We should see who has connections. Let’s see who is big. Don’t do that with me. I’m even more powerful physically,” he told one of the officers.
In another astonishing moment, Malitino appeared to suggest that the officer should abandon his public duty and work for him, offering to pay him so they could see what would happen the following day.
His performance attracted widespread condemnation, with many Malawians questioning how a motorist could mistake a traffic officer enforcing the law for someone who needed to be impressed by his connections or intimidated by his physical strength.
But the courtroom proved a different stage. State prosecutor Richman Tchuwa from the National Police Headquarters told the court that Malitino faced six charges, five under the Road Traffic Act and another under Section 88(1)(a) of the Penal Code for intimidation.
Malitino pleaded guilty to the five traffic offences but denied the intimidation charge, setting up a separate court battle over the allegation.
Senior Resident Magistrate Shukran Kumbani fined him K100,000 each on counts one, three and five, K400,000 on count two and K200,000 on count four.
The court further ordered that he should serve 30 days in prison if he failed to pay the fines. He has since paid the full K900,000.
The intimidation charge remains unresolved, with proceedings adjourned to allow the State to call witnesses.
Renowned social media commentator Onjezani Kenani had earlier shared the viral footage with a blunt assessment: “The rule of law is gone. What remains is anarchy.”
The video also attracted praise for the officer, who remained remarkably calm despite Malitino’s repeated attempts to provoke and intimidate him.
Malitino had challenged the officer to find out who was bigger, boasted about his connections and suggested that money could buy the officer’s loyalty. He has now paid K900,000 for the traffic offences, while the intimidation allegation awaits its day in court.
Gold hunt ends in tragedy in Kasungu
A risky search for gold turned fatal in Kasungu when an abandoned mine suddenly caved in, trapping two men underground and leaving their families mourning what began as a desperate attempt to earn a living.
Rad full story at: https://malawi24.com/2026/11/04/gold-hunt-ends-in-tragedy-in-kasungu/
Two men have died after an abandoned gold mine collapsed on them while they were allegedly conducting illegal mining activities at Siliuka Village in Kasungu District.
Kasungu Police Deputy Public Relations Officer Miracle Hauli identified the deceased as Stenala Kapiti, 40, and Mikeyasi Mbewe, 24.
According to Hauli, the incident occurred at a gold mine that had been closed for the past three years. Despite the closure, the two men reportedly continued extracting gold from the site without following the required legal procedures.
The tragedy unfolded when the abandoned mine suddenly collapsed while the pair were underground, trapping them beneath the debris.
Concerned villagers alerted officers from Chigunda Police Unit, prompting an emergency response involving police officers and medical personnel.
Rescuers managed to retrieve Mbewe’s body from the collapsed mine, and a medical examination later established that he died from suffocation.
Recovery efforts later continued for Kapiti, whose body remained trapped inside the collapsed shaft following the accident.
Kapiti hailed from Chiwaya Village under Traditional Authority Kawinga in Machinga District, while Mbewe came from the area of Traditional Authority Simlemba in Kasungu District.
The incident has once again brought into sharp focus the dangers associated with illegal mining, particularly at abandoned sites where weakened underground structures can collapse without warning.
For many people in mining communities, the lure of quick income often outweighs safety concerns. However, this latest tragedy serves as a painful reminder of the life-threatening risks faced by those who venture into disused mines in search of precious minerals.
Authorities have since urged members of the public to avoid abandoned mining sites and to follow legal mining procedures to prevent avoidable loss of life.
