Malawi plans to set up a special court to deal with corruption-related cases as part of government efforts to expedite trials of those accused of graft, a cabinet minister said late Wednesday.
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Titus Mvalo said he would soon table before parliament a bill proposing the establishment of an Economic and Financial Crimes Court.
“My ministry is planning a bill in parliament for the establishment of a special court which will deal with corruption and financial crimes in the country,” Mvalo told journalists in the capital Lilongwe.
The proposed court comes in the wake of criticism of President Lazarus Chakwera for allegedly paying lip service to his electoral promise to fight against corruption.
Chakwera romped to victory in a presidential election rerun in 2020 on the back of a promise to rid the country of high-level graft which had become a common feature of previous administrations.
Mvalo reiterated the Chakwera administration’s commitment to fighting corruption and attributed the delay in finalisation of cases to a backlog at the courts, which he said are overwhelmed by graft and other cases.
Chakwera has dismissed a number of cabinet ministers over the past two years over allegations that they were involved in underhand dealings.
JN/APA