LAB at Maula
The Legal Aid Bureau is preparing to apply for bail on behalf of 17 boys detained in the Young Offenders section of Maula Prison, all of whom are facing murder charges.
The development follows a visit by a team of lawyers from the Bureau’s Lilongwe office on Thursday, 13 November 2025, during which they recorded statements from the detainees. According to Principal Legal Aid Advocate Ruth Harawa, the objective of the visit was to reach out to young offenders who do not have legal representation in their ongoing cases.
Among those seeking bail is a 19-year-old who has been on remand since September 2024 for a murder he claims he had no involvement in. He was arrested after spending an evening out drinking with a friend. The next morning, community policing personnel questioned him about the friend’s whereabouts, stating the friend was wanted in connection with a murder case. The boy informed them that the friend lived in a nearby village, but did not know his exact house.
He was later arrested and told he would remain in custody until his friend was located. He has appeared in Court only once when he was being told of the reasons for his detention, and he has remained in the Young Offenders section at Maula ever since. He further explained that he is not even aware of the person who is said to have been killed.
The section holds approximately 300 young people facing various criminal charges. Prison officials believe consistent visits by the Legal Aid Bureau will continue to positively impact detainees who lack support or legal guidance.
In October alone, nearly 30 homicide remandees were granted bail, a development that has contributed to ongoing efforts to decongest the facility.
The Bureau’s officers who were part of the prison visit team were Principal Legal Aid Advocate Ruth Harawa, Senior Legal Aid Advocate Chanju Kondowe, Legal Aid Officer Jamila Stambuli, and Public Relations Officer John Namalenga Jnr.
- 1 view