Africa-Press – Malawi. Norman Chisale, former presidential bodyguard to ex-president Peter Mutharika, has suffered a crushing legal defeat after the High Court upheld a ruling allowing the government to seize property worth K5 billion linked to him.
Delivering her judgment, Justice Anneline Kanthambi dismissed Chisale’s application—filed through his lawyer, former Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale—which had sought to quash the case. This means the assets, already under government custody following an earlier directive from the Financial Crimes Court in Blantyre, will remain in state hands.
Chisale’s downfall is tied to allegations that he amassed vast unexplained wealth during his years in the inner circle of power. Since 2022, he has been answering multiple charges ranging from abuse of office to money laundering, with investigators pointing to billions of kwacha in property and investments far beyond the reach of a public officer’s legitimate earnings.
The ruling marks one of the most decisive steps yet in Malawi’s ongoing crackdown on corruption and illicit enrichment among politically connected figures. For Chisale, once a powerful figure in the Mutharika administration, it is a humiliating blow that deepens his legal troubles and further distances him from the political protection he once enjoyed.
Analysts say the judgment also sends a strong signal that the courts are ready to back government efforts in recovering stolen wealth. For ordinary Malawians, it symbolizes a turning point in the fight against impunity, where even the most well-connected are not beyond the reach of the law.
Chisale’s next legal move remains unclear, but for now, the High Court’s decision ensures that K5 billion worth of assets remain firmly under state control—a powerful reminder that the tide has turned against the former presidential aide.
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