Chinese businessman to enter plea in High-profile corruption case
Lin Yunhua
Chinese businessman Lin Yunhua, facing corruption charges, is set to enter his plea tomorrow as part of an ongoing high-profile bribery court case.
Yunhua, who has previously been linked to an international wildlife trafficking network, is accused of attempting to bribe a public official to receive favorable treatment while in detention at Maula Prison.
According to court documents filed in the Lilongwe Magistrate Court, Lin allegedly offered MK30 million to a public officer, Aaron Ganyawu Kaunda who served as Maula Prison Officer in Charge.
The bribe was intended to allow him certain privileges while imprisoned, including managing a construction project at the prison.
An amended charge sheet that Capital FM has seen outlines the specifics of Lin’s alleged corrupt practices, accusing him of using his financial influence to bypass standard procedures and secure special treatment.
“Lin Yunhua, in the year 2019, while on remand at Maula Prison… offered money in the sum of MK30,000,000.00 (thirty million Kwacha) to Aaron Ganyawu Kaunda, a public officer, under his position as officer-in-charge for Maula Prison, as an inducement for the said Aaron Ganyawu Kaunda to engage in certain services,” reads part of the charge sheet.
Lin Yunhua has gained a reputation in Malawi for alleged involvement in multiple criminal activities, particularly wildlife trafficking.
His ability to evade prolonged imprisonment has raised public concern over the influence of money in the country’s justice system, as reported by Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ).
The court, before Principal Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe, will also set the stage for the next steps in the case.
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