NEEF Boss in Dock Over K11 Billion Money Laundering and Abuse of Office

Suspended National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) Chief Executive Officer Humphreys Mdyetseni and Department of Irrigation engineer Anderson Mbozi have been formally charged in the Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court in a case that exposes one of the most serious alleged financial crimes involving a senior public official in recent years. Mdyetseni is facing two counts of abuse of office, while both men are jointly charged with one count of money laundering. According to the charge sheet, Mdyetseni allegedly laundered about K11 billion between April 2024 and 2025, using his position as head of a public institution to facilitate illegal financial transactions.

The abuse-of-office charges paint a disturbing picture of alleged misuse of power. Prosecutors say Mdyetseni unfairly dismissed his personal assistant, Prisca Mtewa, and proceeded to pay her K150 million, a transaction investigators argue had no legal or procedural basis. In another count, Mdyetseni is accused of authorising the purchase of two buildings worth K1.6 billion each—a total of K3.2 billion—without following public procurement laws, effectively bypassing transparency and accountability mechanisms meant to safeguard public funds.

Defence lawyers George Jivason Kadzipatike and Jefferson Luwa applied for bail for both accused persons. Principal State Advocate Festus Sakanda, assisted by Mphatso Partridge, did not oppose the application but insisted on tight bail conditions, citing the seriousness of the charges and the huge sums involved. Senior Resident Magistrate Shukulani Kumbani granted bail but imposed strict conditions, ordering each accused to pay K1 million cash bond, produce one surety bonded at K10 million, declare property worth at least K80 million, surrender all travel documents, and report to police every fortnight.

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The court also ordered the State to provide full disclosures by March 16, after which the trial is expected to commence. Luwa said the defence is ready to proceed. Mdyetseni was appointed NEEF CEO in 2020, overseeing the institution’s transformation from the former Malawi Enterprise Development Fund. The case now threatens to become a defining test of Malawi’s commitment to tackling corruption at the highest levels of public office.

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