Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs sits at Capital Hill in Lilongwe and is the Malawi government's legal service. Its stated mission is to contribute to socio-economic development and achieve justice, peace and security in collaboration with justice stakeholders; its vision is a state where citizens and non-citizens enjoy access to justice and respect for human rights. It operates through four departments. The Attorney General's Chambers takes up litigation on behalf of government, drafts principal and subsidiary legislation through its Legislative Drafting section under the Chief Legislative Counsel, runs civil litigation through State Advocate offices around the country, and handles state reporting to United Nations and African Union human rights bodies. The Directorate of Public Prosecutions institutes and takes over criminal prosecutions in any court except courts-martial, and coordinates prosecutorial powers nationally, including consenting to Anti-Corruption Bureau prosecutions. The Department of the Registrar General maintains the registers of companies, business names, political parties, trusts, patents, industrial designs, trademarks, marriages and non-profit organisations, and collects stamp and estate duties. The Department of the Administrator General administers deceased estates and trusts and issues letters of administration, working through District Commissioners as agents countrywide. The Attorney General's office is established by section 98 of the 1994 Constitution and the Director of Public Prosecutions by section 99. The Ministry states that it has no powers of arrest and cannot investigate cases. Institutions associated with it include the Law Commission, the Legal Aid Bureau, the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Human Rights Commission and the Electoral Commission. Regional State Advocate Chambers operate in Blantyre and Mzuzu, and the Registrar General has offices in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.

3Q3Q+CQX, Lilongwe, Malawi
Lilongwe

Capital Hill, Lilongwe

13°56′47″S 33°47′22″E

• Legal advice to government
• Legislative drafting
• Civil litigation for the state
• Criminal prosecutions
• Company and business name registration
• Political party registration
• Trust registration
• Patent, trademark and industrial design registration
• Marriage registration
• Non-profit organisation registration
• Administration of deceased estates
• Letters of administration