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Malawi is hosting a two-day regional workshop on the management of property and money seized in connection with financial crimes, underscoring the importance of ensuring recovered assets benefit the public.
The workshop, underway in Salima, has drawn experts from Malawi, Ghana, Ireland, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zanzibar, alongside development partners.
Opening the event today, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Charles Mhango stressed that the fight against financial crime must go beyond convictions.
“Crime must not pay, but what we recover must also be worth recovering,” he said, warning that vehicles can deteriorate, buildings can be damaged and businesses can collapse while cases remain in court.
The Minister also highlighted efforts to strengthen the Asset Forfeiture Unit and the new rules guiding the management and use of recovered money.
Solicitor General and Secretary for Justice Gertrude Lynn Hiwa, SC, said the gathering offers countries a chance to share practical strategies for managing seized property during ongoing trials.
Elizabeth Andersen, Executive Director of the Basel Institute on Governance and its International Centre for Asset Recovery, noted that managing seized assets remains a challenge globally.
Organised by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), led by Fostino Maele, in partnership with ICAR and development partners, the workshop is themed: “Asset Management – Limit Dissipation, Monetise the Asset.”
Its goal is clear: to ensure property recovered from crime is properly managed and ultimately benefits the public.
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