A recent Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) investigation has revealed serious human rights violations at Mikuyu 1 Prison in Zomba—abuses said to have occurred with the full knowledge and consent of prison authorities.

Releasing the report on Tuesday, MHRC Commissioner Teresa Ndanga said inmates at the reformatory facility have been subjected to torture and extreme deprivation, with some reportedly dying as a result of these conditions.

The commission confirmed the death of one inmate.

“We also found allegations that five inmates had been tortured to death and that their deaths were concealed,” said Ndanga.

The investigation further established that over 100 inmates at Mikuyu 1 Prison were severely malnourished. Some were transferred to Zomba Maximum Security Prison so they could be closer to Zomba General Hospital, as they were in critical condition and required urgent medical care.

Therefore, the MHRC has recommended that police launch criminal investigations into the alleged torture and deaths of the five inmates.

“In this particular report, we have named officials and prison prefects who are alleged to have tortured inmates or acted unprofessionally,” Ndanga added.

National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya confirmed the police are prepared to act.

“We are aware of the report MHRC has released, but so far, we’ve only received a summary. We are waiting for the full report with all the details so that we can act accordingly. As per our mandate, we will act on the recommendations,” Kalaya said.

In addition to its findings, the Commission is urging prison authorities to abolish the use of prison prefects, also known as anyapala, who reportedly contribute significantly to the abuse of fellow inmates.

The MHRC has also called on the Malawi Prison Service to work with the Ministries of Homeland Security and Finance to revise the food allocation policy. It recommends that Mikuyu 1 and other “mega farm” prisons be allowed to retain 35–40% of their harvests to improve food security within the prison system.

The Malawi Prison Service has yet to comment on the findings.

The MHRC began its investigation into Mikuyu 1 Prison following a tip-off from a whistleblower on January 21 this year.