Cashgate truck, vehicles at Malawi Police Headquarters
Six Marco Pollo buses suspected to have been bought using Capital Hill cashgate money siphoned through the Ministry of Tourism remain parked at the National Police Headquarters at Area 30 in Lilongwe.
Nyasa Times found the buses still parked at Police after other alleged the buses have been released and that they are currently plying the roads of Malawi.
Apart from the buses which are still under police investigations, Nyasa Times also found a good number of vehicles which were impounded for being linked to have been bought through cashgate funds.
Apart from the six unregistered Marco Pollo buses, the police is also keeping two Toyota Harrier BQ 7900 and NA 3996, Toyota Collora BS 3803, BS 4120 Toyota, NU 2012 Range Rover Discovery which was impounded from Chief Tourism Officer Leonard Kalonga, Mercedenz Benz Compressor BN 3986, Toyota Prado BN 9591 and Horse Truck TO 5750 and its Trailer.
National Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Rhoda Manjolo confirmed to Nyasa Times indeed all property which were impounded following court documents after being linked to cash gate are intact.
“Everything is intact, starting from the vehicles and other non-movable property such as houses are all in our custody, we can’t release these properties. Mind you that those items were impounded using court directive, we will wait for the same court or Director of Public Prosecution to give us further instructions,” said Manjolo.
Manjolo advised the media to avoid sensational reporting without verifying with law enforcing agencies so that the public is not misinformed.
“As Police we are advising the media to cross check with us as what Nyasa Times has done to avoid mis informing the public,” said Manjolo.
Documents that police has indicated that the ministry of tourism paid for the buses at Automotive Products Limited (APL) K520 million through a cheque co-signed by the arrested principal accountant to government Roosevelt Ndovie and quotations were sourced by former chief tourism officer Leonard Kalonga.
The State, through principal legal advocate Dziko Malunda, had earlier asked the court to release the six buses.
