Former Flames coach Patrick Mabedi is demanding about K917 million from the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) as compensation for unfair and unlawful dismissal.
This follows the court’s ruling last month that the association unfairly and unlawfully dismissed the immediate-past Malawi National Football Team mentor.
Mabedi
In a witness statement on assessment of damages at the Industrial Relations Court (IRC) dated March 25 2026, Mabedi is seeking K916.7 million as total compensation after the IRC deputy chairperson Wyson Nkhata told him to pursue any claim for withheld fringe benefits and related entitlements, provided that he was able to prove them.
The sought-after compensation includes K426.3 million as relief for unlawful dismissal, K150.7 million for motor vehicle, K79.9 million as compensation for unfair labour practice and the same amount as notice pay.
There is also K59 million as annual leave grant, K28.5 million as international games travel allowance and K28.2 million as economy flight benefits.
Meanwhile, the IRC yesterday adjourned to April 28 hearing on determination of the actual compensation amount following a request from FAM’s lawyer Luciano Mickeus from Micklaw and Company.
The law firm’s representative Joseph Chiona said Mickeus could not show up for the hearing as he was attending a parastatal board meeting. Mickeus is Sunbird Tourism plc board chairperson.
“We requested for the adjournment because the counsel, who handles the matter is attending other functions. However, we expect that a fair determination will be made by the court,” he said.
Mabedi’s lawyer David Kanyenda of Kanyenda Associates said they reluctantly accepted the adjournment.
“Whilst our view is that judicial business must enjoy primacy for court officers, we reluctantly yielded to the adjournment request,” he said.
Mabedi sued FAM for unlawful and unfair termination of his contract in November 2024, a year before its expiry.
The coach, whose package was then K13 million a month, demanded full salary and fringe benefits for the remaining year in the contract as well as compensation for unfair labour practices.
He signed a two-year contract with FAM in October 2023 after serving as interim coach for five months.
His targets were to qualify for the 2025 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), reach the 2024 Cosafa Cup semi-finals and, at least, finish second in Fifa 2026 World Cup Group L.
Malawi did not participate in the Cosafa Cup in June as the nation was in mourning following the death of the then vice-president Saulos Chilima and eight others in a plane crash in Nthungwa Plantations, Nkhata Bay.
This is the second time for FAM to lose a case against a former Flames coach, having also lost one against Meck Mwase in 2024.
Previously, the association also lost a case against another former Flames coach Ernest Mtawali at the High Court, but won it on appeal at the Supreme Court of Appeal.
