By Suleman Chitera
In Malawi, justice is written in law books, but practiced differently in real life. For the rich, it is soft, slow and forgiving. For the poor, it is swift, harsh and merciless.
In a dusty township outside Lilongwe lived a man called Patrick, a bicycle taxi rider. One evening, hunger pushed him to steal a packet of maize flour from a shop. He was caught immediately. The police arrived within minutes. Patrick was beaten, bundled into a van, and sent to prison. No lawyer. No second chance. No mercy. He stayed in remand for months before even seeing a magistrate.
At the same time, in the heart of the city, a powerful businessman named Mr. Chirwa was accused of stealing millions of kwacha meant for hospital drugs. The case made headlines. Evidence was strong. People waited for justice.
But when Mr. Chirwa appeared in court, he was treated differently.
He arrived in a luxury car. His lawyers argued that he was “sick” and needed special treatment. The court granted him bail the same day. Police officers escorted him politely. He returned home to enjoy the very money meant to save lives.
Patrick, meanwhile, slept on the cold prison floor.
In Malawi’s justice system, poverty is treated as a crime, and wealth is treated as a shield. The law is said to be equal, but reality tells a different story: the rich are given mercy, the poor are given punishment.
This story is familiar to many Malawians. Vendors jailed for small theft. Young men locked up for months over petty offences. Yet those who steal public money walk free, smiling for cameras.
People ask the same question every day:
Where is justice?
Until the law stops bowing to money and power, Malawi’s courts and police will continue to serve the rich and punish the poor.
