The step-son of Malawi’s former President Peter Mutharika, Tadikira Mafubza, has been acquitted of all charges in a high-profile case involving allegations of human trafficking and aggravated manslaughter.
Mafubza and seven others were arrested in November 2022 after police linked them to the deaths of 29 suspected Ethiopian immigrants found in a mass grave.
Ex-President Mutharika expressed shock at the time, stating that Mafubza had been arrested without any evidence.
After a prolonged legal battle lasting over 19 months, Mafubza and his co-defendants were cleared following a full trial. Mafubza’s lawyer, expressing satisfaction with the verdict, noted that the evidence against his client was weak and disjointed.
Dzikondianthu Malunda, an official from the Directorate of Public Prosecution, admitted the ruling was unexpected. Mafubza himself declined to comment on his acquittal, stopping only for photographs as he exited the courtroom.
The case began in October 2022 when police discovered a mass grave containing the bodies of Ethiopian migrants in Mzimba district.
The corpses, found after a foul smell was reported by local boys, highlighted Malawi’s role as a major trafficking route for migrants from Ethiopia and Somalia.
Following the discovery, Mafubza turned himself in at police headquarters in Lilongwe. The Democratic Progressive Party, formerly led by Mutharika, labelled his arrest a political witch-hunt against the ex-President’s family and supporters.
