Mzuzu Youth Caucus petitions Chief Justice over Sylvester Namiwa’s bail delay

The Mzuzu Youth Caucus has written to Chief Justice Rezin Mzikamanda to demand action regarding the prolonged detention of activist Sylvester Namiwa. Namiwa, the Executive Director of the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), has been on remand at Maula Prison for three weeks following his arrest on treason charges.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Justice and copied to the Malawi Law Society, the advocacy group expressed concern over the High Court’s delay in ruling on Namiwa’s bail application. The Caucus noted that the State did not object to the bail application, making the continued detention without a timely verdict “unjustifiable and highly suspect.”

The group argued that the delay violates the Constitution of Malawi, specifically Section 42, which guarantees the right to a fair trial within a reasonable time, and Section 18, which protects personal liberty.