The criminal case of unexplained wealth involving Norman Chisale, former bodyguard to ex-President Peter Mutharika, is taking shape with the High Court, today, committing the case to Financial Crimes Court for trial.
Chisale's wealth, amassed during his three-year tenure at State House, has come under scrutiny, raising questions about its legitimacy in light of his civil servant salary and business ventures.
Chisale has been at the center of investigations by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which suspect he accrued substantial wealth that cannot be accounted for through his official income or business activities.
The ACB's inquiries led to a court preservation order freezing his assets, including bank accounts linked to his alleged corrupt activities.
In parallel, the Attorney General has initiated civil proceedings to recover properties that Chisale is accused of unlawfully acquiring.
In a bid to regain access to his frozen assets, Chisale sought a stay of these civil proceedings until his criminal case was resolved, arguing that his situation required constitutional interpretation.
In December 2022, the High Court dismissed Chisale's application for a stay, ruling that the civil proceedings could continue. The court also referred the matter to the Chief Justice to determine if it warranted constitutional status.
Recently, Chisale's case has been committed to the specialized Financial Crimes Court, signaling a significant step towards trial.
He will share the court's attention with business tycoon Leston Mulli, who faces serious charges of defrauding K30 billion from Malawi Savings Bank alongside several government officials, including former Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Lloyd Muhara, and former Secretary to the Treasury, Cliff Chiunda.
The upcoming trials highlight the growing scrutiny on public officials and the need for accountability. As the legal processes unfold, both Chisale and Mulli's cases could set important precedents in Malawi's fight against corruption.
The state has already moved to revoke bail for both accused, emphasizing the seriousness of the charges they face.
The revelations about Chisale's enormous wealth have shocked Malawians, especially the youth who are the majority in a country where about half of the mainly farming population live in poverty.
Chisale began his career in military intelligence before getting a job in 2009 as a valet to the then-president, Bingu wa Mutharika, the late brother of Peter Mutharika.
After Bingu wa Mutharika died in office in 2012, Chisale began working for his brother who went on to serve as president from 2014 until June last year.
The private bodyguard was not a well-known public figure, nor he was known to be rich, before Peter Mutharika won the presidency. But things quickly changed after that.
Critics began pointing out that Chisale had become too powerful at the State House. Members of Mutharika's party accused him of blocking them from having access to the president, with some threatening to leave the party if the "greedy" security aide was not removed from his position.
Chisale also made headlines in 2019 when he was accused of taking part in a vehicle-duty evasion fraud, and raised eyebrows after reports said he had spent large sums to build a church in his home district.
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All that on a reported monthly salary of about $1,500 after taxes while working for the president.
"Even factoring in per diems and allowances, which could have raised Chisale's monthly income to 6.2-million kwacha [about $8,000], it would have taken him 274 years to earn his current wealth," the Mail & Guardian reported earlier this month.
Mutharika was defeated in June 2020 elections, and his successor, Lazarus Chakwera, declared he will "clear out the rubble of corruption".
It did not take long for Chisale to gain the attention of the police. He is currently facing multiple charges, including over the murder of the anti-corruption bureau director, manslaughter and abuse of office.
He is out on bail and usually displays a Bible during court appearances.
