By Linda Kwanjana
The Limbe Magistrate’s Court has issued a warrant of arrest for Neelam Azhar Mahmood, wife to Blantyre-based businessman Mahmood Azhar Chaudhry, on allegations of giving false information to a public officer in violation of Section 122 of the Penal Code.
According to Criminal Case No. 465 of 2026, Mrs. Mahmood is accused of falsely declaring herself a Malawian citizen through her legal representatives, Messrs Brandon Law Firm, in an application to the Land Registrar. The application sought consent to transfer Title Number Blantyre East 15 (Plot Number BE1), despite laws prohibiting non-citizens from acquiring land in Malawi.
The warrant, signed and stamped by the court on July 14, 2026, directs all police officers to arrest Mrs. Mahmood and produce her before the court.
A sworn statement filed by Blantyre businessman Austin Lajabu sheds further light on the matter.
Lajabu said he became aware of the intended sale of the property late last year through an estate agent and later conducted a search at the Land Registry in June 2026. Records showed the property was registered under Nirala Kautilal Rejavi and Manjula Guladbas Devraj, with a transfer process underway to Mahli Trust, belonging to the Chaudhry family.
The application for consent listed trustees Chaudhry Azhar Mahmood and Neelam Azhar Mahmood, both allegedly Malawian citizens. However, Lajabu questioned the claim, stating he had heard Mrs. Mahmood is a British citizen. He noted that no copy of her national identity card was enclosed in the application letter, raising suspicions about the authenticity of the citizenship claim.
The sworn statement, endorsed by lawyer Sara Phoso Pwetekani, argues that if Mrs. Mahmood is indeed a foreign national, she cannot legally own property in Malawi, either directly or through a trust.
Police have been instructed to execute the warrant and bring Mrs. Mahmood before the court. The case is expected to test the enforcement of Malawi’s land ownership laws, which restrict property acquisition by non-citizens, unless for the investment purposes and partnered by a Malawian citizen.
