ACB arrests businessman Mwale over cashgate
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has said it arrested businessman, Mainala Rueben Mwale, last Sunday in conncetion to the on-going Capital Hill looting investigations.
Mwale proprietor of Vhaima General Dealers has been arrested on allegation that he induced a public officer to abuse his office in relation to the looting of public funds at Capital Hill dubbed Cashgate.
ACB Senior Public Relations Officer, Egrita Ndala disclosed to Nyasa Times that Mwale was suspected to have induced the indicted Ministry of Tourism Chief Tourism Officer, Leonard Kalonga.
Ndala said: “He (Mwale) maybe charged with inducing a public officer to abuse his office contrary to Section 25B (2) of the Corrupt Practices Act, money laundering contrary to Section 35(1) (c) of the Money Laundering, Proceeds of Serious Crime and Terrorist Financing Act, receiving property unlawfully obtained contrary to Section 328 of the Penal Code”.
Mwale, according to Ndala will be taken to court to be charged after the Bureau has interviewed him on the matter.
Kalonga was first arrested on October 17th, 2013 by the ACB for allegedly conniving with different people to defraud government, and was later re-arrested in connection to impounded six buses suspected to have been bought using cash-gate exploits at the Ministry.
Although the transaction went through the Ministry of Tourism vote, the ministry was not aware of the purchase or the need for the K520 million (about $1.3m) worth 65-seater Torino Marcopolo buses, which are said to have been bought by Kalonga currently answering to money laundering and theft by public servant charges.
The Ministry of Tourism is among some of government ministries that were apparently being used as conduits for the looted public funds.
Ministry’s Principal Secretary, Teresa Namathanga Senzani was arrested for suspected to have been at the centre of the looting.
