Chaudhry, lawyer, land officers accused of collusion in property transfer

A lawyer representing businessman Mahmood Azhar Chaudhry and his wife Neelam Azhar Mahmood has been accused of lying under oath to fraudulently process the transfer of property to the couple’s trust.

Kwame Ngwira of Brandon Law Firm allegedly misrepresented the couple’s citizenship status in a letter to the Land Registrar in Blantyre dated February 10, 2026.

The letter sought consent to transfer Title Number Blantyre East 15 from Chaudhry and his wife to Mahli Trust.

Ngwira reportedly presented national identity cards for both, portraying them as Malawian citizens, despite Neelam Mahmood being a British national.

The property, currently held by Nirala Kautilal Rejavi and Manjula Guladbas Devraj, is already in the process of being transferred to Mahli Trust. A certificate of compliance dated February 17, 2026, was issued by Commissioner for Lands Muhammad Selemani.

Land expert Madalo Benson described the development as a “serious omission, illegal, and criminal” if indeed the transfer was approved for a foreign national.

“We all know what the amended land law stipulates, no foreigner can acquire land other than for investment purposes, and only after entering into a partnership with a Malawian citizen.

“It is unfortunate that the lawyer involved is an expert in land matters and a former Commissioner for Lands.

“This is a clear case of lying under oath. Land officers must also be investigated and, if found complicit, held accountable for abuse of office,” she said, further urging authorities to investigate the matter, arrest, and prosecute any offenders.

A whistleblower recently reported the trustees to Fiscal Police, alleging they misrepresented themselves as Malawian citizens to secure consent for the transaction.

Investigators are also probing claims that Neelam Mahmood’s identity card was not enclosed in the application, despite references to it by her lawyers.

The allegations, submitted on July 1, 2026, suggest the transfer process may have relied on false information provided to a public officer.

Officials are expected to verify the authenticity of the citizenship claims and determine whether the trustees violated Malawi’s property and citizenship laws.

Under Malawi’s amended Land Laws (2022), foreign nationals cannot own private or freehold land for personal use or speculation. They may only acquire land for recognised investment purposes, and must do so in partnership with a Malawian citizen.

The case adds to ongoing scrutiny surrounding Chaudhry, who has previously faced accusations of misrepresentation in citizenship and diplomatic status claims.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court in Blantyre on Friday dismissed a case brought by Pacific Limited, which had challenged the amended land laws, ruling the company had no sufficient interest in the matter.

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