MILIMO CHITSULO and JULIUS MBEWE Months after a Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ) investigation exposed how a racket involving government officials and individuals connected to the Good Samaritan staged the death of a vulnerable poor woman and her husband to facilitate an illegal adoption of their three children to an American family, the taxpayer funded Malawi Human Rights Comisssion (MHRC) has launched an official investigation into the matter. The PIJ investigation, titled ‘Dead Mother is Alive’, exposed several criminal acts, including human trafficking, forgery, providing false information to the public officer (including the courts), possible corruption, and abuse of office, but as we published this story, it was unclear if the state’s law enforcement agency was taking any action on the matter. Among others, PIJ reviewed documents such as two death certificates produced by the Registrar General’s office, a payment agreement with adoption agents, court orders, statements to police by witnesses, plus interviews with the victim, lawyers, and other stakeholders, suggest Agness is a victim of human trafficking by agents financially gaining from unethical international adoption. The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) confirmed to PIJ it had launched an investigation into the adoption of the three Malawian children from Mulanje. "We are currently meeting with involved parties to gather more information. As the investigations have just begun, it's challenging to provide an estimated timeline for completion," said Priscilla Thawe, MHRC’s acting Director of Child Rights. She said the inquiry officially commenced on April 9, 2025, following public interest sparked by social media discussions following the PIJ report. “The Commission's mandate includes upholding the rights of children and ensuring that adoption processes are conducted legally and ethically,” said Thawe. While the inquiry is still in its early stages, it signals a proactive approach by the Commission to addressing potential human rights violations arising from misleading practices linked to child adoption in Malawi. “Further details regarding the investigation will be made available as information unfolds. Malawians are urged to remain vigilant and informed as this significant issue develops, given its implications for child welfare and human rights in the country,” she added. Documents reviewed by PIJ include a statement by the biological mother of the children, which mentioned the involvement of former Minister of Gender, Community Development & Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati’s in the scandal. Kaliati, who reportedly had close ties with the Good Samaritan Children’s Home, allegedly took the children from their family while the mother was in the hospital. When contacted for comment, Kaliati, the former Minister of Gender, Disability and Children's Welfare, refused to respond to questions sent by PIJ, responding simply: “None of those.” Also at the centre of the allegations is Klaus Chikufenji, a Blantyre-based businessperson and aspirant for parliamentary office, already answering charges on allegations of human trafficking. His sister runs the Good Samaritan orphanage. He allegedly solicited the purported death reports for the parents of the three children. Good Samaritan Orphanage confirmed to have been approached by the Commission as part of the inquiry, saying the orphanage was cooperating with the investigation. “We were approached by three officers from the Malawi Human Rights Commission last week, and the information needed was provided,” said Thandiwe Chikufenji, the orphanage’s Director. The investigation raised ethical and potentially legal questions about the practices of the orphanage and the integrity of the adoption procedures in Malawi. Among the documents sourced by the PIJ in the investigation are a police statement submitted to local police on September 6, 2024, by Priscilla Garner, an American woman who adopted the children. EDITOR NOTE: PIJ did not name the three children or their mother to protect their identity. Jason Carney: 2nd Milk Boss Arrested in United States Bitter Goodbyes: US Partners, NGO Boss Fight Over Closure This article was produced by the Platform for Investigative Journalism, a non-profit public interest centre for investigative journalism. ABOUT THE AUTHORS JULIUS MBEŴE is a journalist based in Lilongwe who regularly writes for the PIJ. He has previously worked for YONECO FM. Email: [email protected] X: @CaleoneMbewe MILIMO CHITSULO is a regular writer for the PlJ. His reporting on sexual abuses in tea and macadamia nuts estates in Mulanje and Thyolo led to international lawsuits against the estates and won him Malawi’s Investigative Journalist of the Year award in 2023. Email: [email protected]
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