By Suleman Chitera
The Malawi Prison Service (MPS) has launched a high-level investigation into the controversial premature release—and subsequent disappearance—of a convicted felon, a case that has exposed alarming cracks in the country’s correctional system.
MPS Public Relations Officer Steve Meke confirmed on Wednesday that Peter Mwenyevesa (25), who was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment with hard labour on November 29, 2023 for cattle theft, was expected to complete his sentence on November 28, 2027.
However, in a development that has raised serious public concern, Mwenyevesa walked free on December 26, 2024, after benefiting from a one-third sentence remission and a series of presidential amnesties—effectively cutting short a sentence that had barely begun.
His freedom proved brief.
On June 16, 2025, Mwenyevesa was rearrested on fresh allegations of bicycle theft and remanded to Lilongwe Prison. He was scheduled to appear in court on July 3, 2025, but never did. The convict has since vanished, triggering urgent investigations into how a remanded prisoner could simply disappear from lawful custody.
The Malawi Prison Service is investigating how Mwenyevesa managed to evade lawful custody,” said Meke, describing the matter as grave and unacceptable.
The case has ignited fresh scrutiny of sentence remission procedures, amnesty implementation, and custodial oversight, with critics questioning whether negligence—or worse—may have played a role.
Meke said MPS is now moving to tighten internal controls and strengthen inter-agency coordination across the criminal justice system, adding that reforms are being pursued to close systemic loopholes within correctional facilities and improve the supervision and reintegration of offenders.
As investigations continue, the Mwenyevesa case stands as a troubling reminder of how administrative failures can undermine justice—and erode public confidence in institutions tasked with upholding the rule of law.
