Pressure is mounting on senior police officials after a key Criminal Investigations Department (CID) file reportedly went missing in Lilongwe, reviving scrutiny over a six-year-old manslaughter case that has never been brought before court.
Sources within the Malawi Police Service claim the copy of the file disappeared days after renewed calls for the case to be prosecuted. The timing has raised suspicions among some officers that the disappearance may be linked to efforts to prevent further examination of the investigation records.
At the center of the controversy is Deputy Inspector General of Police Noel Kaira, who is once again under public scrutiny over his alleged connection to a fatal shooting incident that occurred in Area 49 in Lilongwe six years ago.
The victim, an unarmed man, was shot under circumstances investigators at the time reportedly described as a clear case of murder. Despite claims that investigations were completed years ago, the matter has never proceeded to court.
Insiders allege that parts of the case file may have been altered, with some CID officers suggesting inconsistencies in the documentation. There are also claims that key investigative materials may have been removed or interfered with, contributing to the delay in prosecution.
Further allegations circulating within security and legal circles suggest possible interference by former Homeland Security Minister Richard Chimwendo Banda, who is accused of shielding individuals linked to the case.
Former Director of Public Prosecutions Steve Kayuni is also alleged to have played a role in stalling proceedings, although none of these claims have been officially confirmed.
The disappearance of the file has intensified calls for transparency, with civil society actors, legal experts, and the victim’s family demanding clarity on why the case has remained unresolved for so long.
Questions are also being raised about the integrity of the original investigation and whether due process was followed.
With a change in administration, expectations had grown that stalled and politically sensitive cases would be revisited. However, the continued lack of progress has fueled frustration and renewed debate about accountability within the justice system.
Observers say the case highlights broader concerns about equal application of the law, especially in situations involving senior officials. Comparisons have been drawn with other cases where authorities acted more swiftly to allow investigations and prosecutions to proceed.
The victim’s family continues to wait for justice six years after the incident, as pressure builds on authorities to account for the missing file and finally bring the matter before the courts.
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