Department

Attorney General is the principal law officer of the government and is appointed by the President. The Attorney General may be a Minister responsible for Justice and Constitutional Affairs. The current Attorney General is a public officer. If the Attorney General is a public officer, he or she may serve a term of five years, unless he or she resigns, retires or until the expiry of the President’s term of office, whichever comes sooner.

The Directorate is headed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who is appointed by the President subject to confirmation by the Public Appointments Committee of the National Assembly. The DPP is responsible for instituting and undertaking prosecution of criminal offences in any court (except for court-martial).

The Registrar General's Department is responsible for the registration and administration of companies, business names, political parties, trusts, patents, industrial designs and trademarks, and the collection of non-tax revenue i.e. stamp duties and estate duties. The Department is also responsible for the registration of marriages under the Marriages, Divorce and Family Relations Act. These are marriages other than customary marriages or Asiatic marriages

The Administrator General is responsible for the administration of deceased estates and other trusts by obtaining letters of administration or when the Administrator General is appointed as an executor of an estate. The office was established under the Administrator General Act (Cap.10:01 of the Laws of Malawi). It is headed by an Administrator General who is a public office