Former Malawi army chief arrested over alleged arms trafficking linked to Sudan war

Former Malawi Defense Force commander General Paul Valentino Phiri was arrested on Thursday by Malawi’s Anti-Corruption Bureau over alleged illegal arms trafficking linked to the war in Sudan.

The bureau said the charges stem from allegations that Phiri facilitated arms trafficking in June and July 2025. The statement was issued in the capital, Lilongwe.

The 54-year-old retired general faces five counts relating to abuse of office and dealings in property linked to “terrorism,” according to the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Phiri led the Malawi Defense Force from July 2023 until October 2025. That month, former President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera lost the general election to incumbent Arthur Peter Mutharika.