In a resounding legal victory, the Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe has acquitted Paramount Holdings Limited and its directors of all criminal charges and issued a firm ruling that permanently bars the state from reopening the matter.
Paramount Holdings Managing Director Prakash Ghedia:
The court cleared directors Prakash Virji Ghedia, Arvindkumar Atit Patel, and Suresh Khimji Jagatiya of three criminal charges, including conspiracy to commit a felony and alleged use of forged documents in a government-linked motorcycle supply tender. The company, Paramount Holdings, was also acquitted of any wrongdoing.
In its judgment in Criminal Case No. 868 of 2023, the court declared: “The accused persons are hereby acquitted of criminal charges. The court hereby bars the state from bringing any charges against the accused persons on the same grounds.”
This ruling puts a definitive end to a protracted legal battle that began in 2021, following a complaint by Hendrix Laher, director of rival firm Luthando Holdings Limited. Laher had accused Paramount of using a fake Yamaha dealership certificate to secure a tender from international NGO JHPIEGO in 2020.
However, the case steadily unraveled when Laher repeatedly failed to appear in court, and the state could not provide credible evidence. Ultimately, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)—first under Dr. Steven Kayuni and later under Masauko Edwin Chamkakala—discontinued the case with a certificate issued on March 19, 2024.
Following the mandatory six-month statutory period, the court on June 28, 2025, issued a formal acquittal and barred any future prosecution on the same matter—providing Paramount Holdings with full legal exoneration and clearing its path to continue bidding for public and donor-funded tenders.
“This judgment affirms our clients’ integrity and standing in the business community,” said lawyer Marshal Chilenga, who represented Paramount Holdings alongside Gift Katundu. “It is a landmark ruling that not only clears them but shields them from further harassment.”
Notably, Yamaha Motor Corporation Japan, in a 2022 declaration, reaffirmed Paramount Holdings as its sole authorised distributor in Malawi—solidifying the company’s position in the market.
In a parallel civil dispute, Luthando Holdings and other firms continue to challenge Yamaha’s exclusive dealership arrangement with Paramount. The challengers are believed to have used documentation from Yamaha agents based in South Africa—raising concerns over procurement authenticity and compliance under Malawian law.
Nonetheless, with this criminal case closed and the court’s shield in place, Paramount Holdings walks away vindicated, legally protected, and primed to continue as a major player in Malawi’s procurement and supply industry.
