“Not guilty”: Five deny murdering Chileka shopkeeper as evidence gaps delay trial

Five people accused of murdering and robbing Chileka businessman Omar Mbeta have all pleaded not guilty, as the High Court in Blantyre ordered the State to urgently produce crucial outstanding evidence before the trial can properly get underway.

The accused appeared before Justice Etness Chanza on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, for the commencement of proceedings, in a case that has drawn significant attention since Mbeta’s shooting death last year.

Trial stalled as key evidence goes missing

Private practice lawyer Tamanda Chokhoto, representing the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, told the court that several critical pieces of evidence remained outstanding, including search warrants and vital call logs from telecommunications firms TNM and Airtel Malawi — gaps that Chokhoto said made it impossible for the trial to proceed as scheduled.

Despite the missing disclosures, both the prosecution and defence applied for the accused to formally take their pleas, a request Justice Chanza granted.

All five suspects subsequently pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

Court sets strict 21-day deadline

Following the pleas, the court ordered the State to file and serve the outstanding disclosures within 21 days, with the trial now formally scheduled to begin on 8 and 9 October 2026.

All five accused remain in custody at Blantyre Prison, commonly known as Chichiri Prison, as they await the resumption of proceedings.

Businessman shot dead at his own shop

Mbeta, 50, was reportedly shot dead on 13 June 2025 while working at his shop at Chatha Trading Centre in Chileka, in an attack that shocked the local community.

Police said the assailants made off with an unspecified amount of cash, a Samsung A32 mobile phone, and mobile money transfer devices — a robbery that ultimately cost Mbeta his life and has left five men now facing trial for his murder.

With the clock now ticking on the 21-day disclosure deadline, all eyes will be on whether the State can produce the missing evidence in time to ensure the October trial dates proceed as planned.

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