Investigation Launched into Dog Theft at Malawi Presidential Palace

Thu Nov 27 2025 16:57:34 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Malawi police are probing the disappearance of four police dogs from the presidential palace amid the political shift following recent elections.

Malawi's police have opened an investigation into the theft of four German Shepherds from the presidential palace in Lilongwe, coinciding with the recent political transition. Former deputy chief of staff Godfrey Jalale has been arrested in connection with the incident, although he denies any wrongdoing. In the backdrop of these events, former President Lazarus Chakwera faces allegations of mismanagement and public resource abuse, compounding tensions during this sensitive period in Malawi's political landscape.

Malawi police are investigating the theft of four police dogs that went missing from the presidential palace in Lilongwe during a significant political transition following the September elections. The investigation has seen the arrest of Godfrey Arthur Jalale, the former deputy chief of staff under President Lazarus Chakwera, who has denied the charges against him.

Chakwera, who lost the elections to President Peter Mutharika, vacated the palace amid swirling allegations of mismanagement during the handover of power. As reported, the dogs, valued at approximately $2,300, disappeared between September 19 and October 4, with formal police statements indicating an intensification of investigations into property looting from the palace.

Amid speculation about Chakwera's potential involvement, police have denied any arrests related to him but have secured a search warrant for his residence based on claims that the stolen dogs might have been kept there. Furthermore, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has claimed that Chakwera's administration is facing harassment from the current government, and the political landscape remains tense as allegations of property theft from two presidential residences surface.

Chakwera's party MPs staged a parliamentary boycott, rallying together at his residence in response to heightened police presence around the former president. As the current administration works through issues stemming from the elections, Mutharika's return to power has been marred by challenges, including a national fuel shortage, raising questions about his capability to govern effectively at age 85.