Fraud-accused Chaudhry couple secures temporary court shield against arrest
Controversial businessman Chaudhry Azhar Mahmood and his wife, Neelam Azhar Mahmood, have secured a temporary legal relief after the Limbe Magistrate Court granted a stay order suspending warrants of arrest issued against them by the Limbe Magistrate’s Court.
The stay order temporarily halts police action against the couple, who are facing a string of criminal allegations, including fraudulently obtaining Malawian citizenship, making false statements to public officers and misrepresenting diplomatic status.
Lead counsel for the couple, Bright Theu, confirmed the development, saying the stay order remains in force pending a court hearing scheduled for Monday.
“The court has granted a stay of the warrants of arrest. On Monday, we will be asking the court to set aside the warrants entirely,” Theu said.
Monday’s hearing is expected to determine whether the warrants should be permanently vacated, setting the stage for what is shaping up to be one of Malawi’s most closely watched legal battles.
Meanwhile, private prosecutors pursuing the matter have formally petitioned the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to grant consent for the prosecution and join the proceedings, signalling their determination to press ahead with the case despite the temporary court relief.
The warrants, issued under Case No. 469, accuse Chaudhry of making false declarations to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services and the Ministry of Homeland Security between October 2001 and August 2004 to secure Malawian citizenship.
According to court documents, Chaudhry allegedly claimed he entered Malawi on August 20, 1994 to establish ordinary residence. However, investigators contend immigration records show he first entered the country in April 1995 and only became lawfully resident in August 1998, raising questions over the legitimacy of his citizenship application.
In the alternative, prosecutors allege he knowingly provided false information to public officers to induce them to register him as a citizen of Malawi.
The charges also accuse Chaudhry of falsely presenting himself as a consular officer of the Republic of Pakistan between 2018 and 2022. Prosecutors allege he misled the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Malawi Revenue Authority, the Road Traffic Directorate, the Malawi Police Service, the courts and other public institutions into believing he enjoyed diplomatic privileges and immunities.
The alleged misrepresentation is said to have enabled him to obtain benefits reserved for accredited diplomats, including diplomatic vehicle registration, tax exemptions and other official privileges.
His wife, Neelam Azhar Mahmood, separately faces allegations of falsely declaring herself a Malawian citizen during a land transfer transaction despite allegedly being a British national.
The case has attracted significant public interest, with civil society organisations previously calling on authorities to investigate allegations that Chaudhry abused diplomatic symbols, privileges and official status.
With the arrest warrants now temporarily suspended, all eyes will be on Monday’s proceedings, where the court is expected to decide whether the warrants remain valid or are quashed, a ruling that could significantly influence the direction of the high-profile prosecution.
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