ACB delays case against former army chief Paul Phiri

The prosecution of General Paul Valentino Phiri, the immediate past commander of the Malawi Defence Force, suffered an early setback on Thursday after the Anti-Corruption Bureau told a Lilongwe court it was not ready to proceed with the case against him.

Phiri arrived at the Magistrate’s Court in Area 3 expecting the first hearing in a case that has attracted considerable public attention since his arrest last month.

Instead, proceedings failed to get underway after prosecutors indicated they were unprepared to move forward.

His lawyer, Powell Nkhutabasa, confirmed the development, saying only that the prosecution was not ready for the matter to proceed.

He declined to elaborate further.

The delay comes against the backdrop of serious allegations.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has charged the retired general with five counts relating to abuse of office and dealing in terrorist property.

Investigators allege that between June and July 2025, he facilitated the illegal trafficking of firearms.

Inside the court precincts, Phiri appeared composed, dressed in a blue safari suit and engaging in conversation with a group of supporters.

Since his arrest, however, he has maintained a largely silent public posture.

Following questioning by investigators at the bureau’s offices in Lilongwe, he exercised his right to remain silent and has similarly declined requests for comment from the media.

The case has also prompted broader questions about the conduct and pace of high-profile prosecutions.

Benedicto Kondowe, chairperson of the National Advocacy Platform, has previously described the State’s handling of the matter as troubling, arguing that it reflects a pattern visible in other recent cases.

For now, Phiri remains on bail while the case awaits a substantive hearing.

The postponement leaves unresolved not only the allegations against a former military commander, but also wider concerns about the capacity of institutions to pursue complex and politically sensitive prosecutions with consistency and confidence.

Phiri was appointed MDF commander by former president Lazarus Chakwera in July 2023 and served until October 2025, when President Peter Mutharika named General George Alexander Jaffu Jnr as his successor.

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