Parliamentary investigations have been dramatically halted after a member of the public won a court injunction blocking them from going ahead.

The Office of the Speaker, Sameer Suleman, has confirmed that committees set up to probe a string of matters have been ordered to down tools with immediate effect.

The bombshell move comes after Austin Mkoka, an ordinary citizen, took the extraordinary step of taking the matter to court - and won.

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A statement from the Speaker's office said the committees have no choice but to stand down while the legal wrangle plays out, leaving their investigations in limbo indefinitely.

It is not yet clear when - or if - the probes will be allowed to resume, with insiders suggesting the standoff could drag on for weeks.

The suspension comes just hours after Suleman held high-stakes talks with President Peter Mutharika on Saturday, described as focusing on the delicate balancing act between the country's three arms of government.

Sources close to the meeting say the pair struck an agreement on the need to respect the constitutional boundaries separating the Executive, Parliament and the Judiciary.

The timing has raised eyebrows, with the sit-down coming just as the courts step in to rein in Parliament's investigative powers.

Critics say the episode lays bare growing tensions over where the line falls between the three institutions - and who really holds the power to draw it.