Chinese Lin walks to freedom as State abandons cases

The High Court of Malawi Financial Crimes Division has certified the discontinuance of the case against Chinese Lin Yunhua convicted of wildlife crimes and money laundering, ordering his immediate release.

Ironically, the order has come days after High Court Judge Redson Kapindu dismissed Lin’s bail application and questioned the State’s intention in supporting the application.

The fresh order says the decision followed a certificate of discontinuance filed by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Fostino Maele.

“Whereas upon this court view of the certificate of discontinuance filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, the court hereby orders the immediate release of the accused person,” reads the order addressed to Dedza Prison officer-in-charge.

Set free: Lin. | Nation

The court said Lin should be released with immediate effect “unless being held for other lawful reasons”.

Lin was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in 2021 following his conviction of wildlife trafficking and money laundering offences linked to rhino horn and other protected wildlife products.

Ironically, Maele represented Lin before being appointed DPP late last year.

Last year former president Lazarus Chakwera pardoned Lin, but he remained in custody for corruption charges he allegedly committed while in prison.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) alleged that in 2019, Lin offered K30 million and promised to complete construction of a house for a senior prison officer in exchange for assistance in influencing the outcome of his wildlife trafficking trial.

On September 16 2026, Kapindu rejected the bail application and raised concerns over the proposed bail conditions which included a requirement that Lin finances his own monitoring by police.

He warned that such an arrangement could create a two-tier bail system in which wealthy suspects could effectively buy their way out of remand.

The court set November 16 and 17 2026, for the continuation of the trial on the alleged corruption charges.

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