Malawi Law Society Slams Kamangila, Refuses to Defend Him in K250 Million Defamation Battle

The Malawi Law Society has delivered a sharp rebuke to lawyer Alexious Kamangila, refusing to provide him legal representation in a high-stakes defamation case filed by Kenan Manda — and exposing what it says is Kamangila’s own failure to meet basic professional obligations.

In a strongly worded letter dated February 19, MLS chairperson Davis Njobvu made it clear that Kamangila is not entitled to the privileges of the legal body because he has not paid his subscription fees for the 2025–2026 and 2026–2027 practice years. Under Section 67(3) of the Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Act, a lawyer who has not paid subscriptions forfeits the rights of membership — a point the Society says leaves Kamangila without grounds to demand assistance.

The refusal comes as Kamangila faces a K250 million defamation lawsuit brought by Justice Manda after the lawyer allegedly published accusations of corruption against the judge and other lawyers on social media. The dispute stems from October 2024, when the High Court in Lilongwe granted an injunction restraining Kamangila from continuing to publish the allegations.

But MLS has also dismissed Kamangila’s attempt to draw the Society into the courtroom battle, describing the matter as a personal dispute. According to the Society, intervening would undermine its neutrality and create a conflict of interest.

In the same correspondence, Kamangila had also asked the Society to provide security protection for his family and his former lawyer Gift Dick Chimowa, citing threats and a reported attack.

The MLS response was blunt.

The Society said it is a professional regulatory body — not a security agency — and has no legal mandate to provide physical protection. Instead, Kamangila was advised to report any threats to the Malawi Police Service for investigation.

Adding to the tension, MLS also expressed concern about Kamangila’s recent public statements accusing the Society’s leadership of corruption, remarks that appear to have further strained relations between the outspoken lawyer and the country’s legal establishment.

Meanwhile, the Society confirmed it has already engaged with Chimowa following the alleged attack and provided him with support.

For Kamangila, the rejection leaves him increasingly isolated in a case that has already drawn national attention — a legal fight now unfolding without the backing of the very professional body he sought to enlist.

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