Baker Tilly refuses to verify authenticity as questions arise about cashgate report
Critics have question the credibility of the Baker Tilly forensic audit report containing names of companies and individuals who allegedly siphoned money from Malawi Government coffers which has revealed that a total of K24.2 billion was plundered within a period of six months from April to September 2014.
Many Malawians took it on social media and comments posted on Nyasa Times that the report looks to have been doctored by the current government.
Some Malawians in London queried Baker Tilly bombarding their offices with emails and phones to verify the authenticity of the report which Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Samuel Tembenu released to the media on Thursday.
In an email response to a query, Baker Tilly PR Manager Frank Shepherd wrote: “The report was prepared on behalf of the Malawi National Audit Office. All questions should be directed to them as they are the client and the report owner and we cannot breach client confidentiality.”
Justice Minister ruled out chances of the report having been doctored.
“Government has not tampered with the Baker Tilly report, it was received in PDF format and remains so,” said Tembenu.
He added: “Cashgate investigations are still in progress, forensic audit report has assisted us to do that.”
Lawmaker Roy Kachale also reacted furiously to the report which talked about his alleged affair with a cashgate suspect Laura Savala- a relationship he says has never existed between the two- saying the report is “malicious.”
Kachale, the son of former President Joyce Banda, in a statement on Friday, denying any wrongdoing, said: “I am a man of high standing in society and a devoted Catholic who can never do such a thing.”
He is seeking legal redress on the defamatory assertions.
An initial report by Baker Tilly released on February 21, 2014 but did not contain the names of the culprits showed that at least K13.6 billion was lost during the plunder.
The new report contains a list of 49 individuals who between them had a hand in siphoning almost K24.2 billion of public funds.
Some of the names revealed in the new report such as Oswald Lutepo, Stamford Mpoola and former Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara are already in court answering cases related to ‘cashgate’.
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The first report didn’t Inciude names coz Kachale’s name was mentioned.
the whole mzungu with his long nose writing about love affairs in an audit report?????? i have my doubts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this fire administration of thieves must be squeezed till they tell the truth!!!!!!!!!
Baker Tilley report did not include self confessed Senzani in the role she played in cash gate. How many of such persons are left out in the forensic audit report?
Roy Kachale seeking legal redress? Waiwala kuti amaseketsa ma Bala only to drink with friends?
So from who is seeking the legal redress? Is it from Baker Tilley or from the British government who requested for the audit? Or from her PP government which her mother was the President who agreed to have Baker Tilley in the country?
Zopusa sitifuna ife, they have injured us already.
Baker Tilley were appointed by British government and they paid for the report. Theft was done by Joyce Banda government. Why should DPP change the report? Why would they be interested for a corrupt report?
Is their crime in releasing the report or what? The report wasn’t written for them and neither by them so why all thus madness and foolishness?
Please stop writing crap to the innocent government and if you have anything on Cashgate, direct it to the woman thief and her children.
The Baker Tilly report is not an indictment. Now is time for ACB to unearth evidence.
Why is Roy Kachale mad with his name in the report when his own mother was president and the one who authorised the theft of public funds? Who is he cheating?
I saw the original report and it is very different from the one that is being circulated. Something is really funky!!!
fhe rrport omly pointd to whst hspprned snd up to mslswians stop ze mess ..
nothing for yd without us
its same as saying give ceazer whst belongs to ceazer
malasi ruling party ovetinsd yatipsdteka..get ride of the sydrome its multiparty transparency democracy human rights zat us supposed to rule not satanic “ruling party”
equality for lazy pple no!¡
That is the problem with our politicians, they take every Malawian as ignorant. PDF documents can be edited using a number of software.May be the minister is ignorant of this.The issue is that PP wanted to manipulate the report to suit their needs and interests and DPP is also trying to do the same as both are culprits.Both PP and DPP know the truth which they never want to share with Owners of Money,Malawians. Thank GOD that we are peace loving and docile.The main task of PP was to expose DPP and DPP is doing the same, to expose PP… Read more »
Well said Dobo.
Feffo MaALAWIANMS WE WANTED A REPORT THEN WHO DO YOU WANT IN THE REPORT
The whole truth only. It is not about names as only evidence can lead us to the thieves and that is what acb and the prosecution are attempting to do.