Court orders arrest of ‘Cashgate’ fugitive Limumba Karim: Lawyer Wapona discharges himself

The  High Court in Lilongwe on Monday issued an arrest warrant for  businessman Limumba Karim who failed again to turn up for the  hearing  of the K2.4 billion money laundering case and is suspected to have escaped from the country hiding in South Africa.

Kita: Lawyer discharges himself from representring Lumumba Karim who is on the run on cashgate cases

Lumumba was expected in court to plead to  counts of money laundering in which former Ministry of Finance budget director Paul Mphwiyo, 18 civil servants and contractors are accused of defrauding government of K2.4 billion through theft and money laundering.

Recently when Karim failed to attend court, his lawyer Wapona Kita claimed he is in South Africa for medical treatment.

Kita said Karim was born Asthmatic and his condition worsened and he was rushed for medical attention.

Director of Public Prosecution Mary Kachale disagreed with Kita,  saying the court can’t believe the claims without proper medical reports which she said was supposed to be tendered in court as evidence asking for local medical report that necessitated the referral to South Africa.

Recently Lumumba was seen in a video clip posted on social media poking fun at Malawians citizens living in extreme poverty.

On Monday when court reconvened lawyer Kita asked to quit representing fugitive Karim.

“I would like to discharge myself from this case as counsel for seventh accused person Mr Limumba Karim,” Kita told the court.

“I can’t get got of him. I don’t know where he is, he is out of reach and since there is no word from him I can’t continue standing here representing him without communication when I don’t know his whereabouts,” the lawyer said.

And top prosecutor Kachale asked the court to revoke Karim’s bail and issue arrest warrant.

In her determination, judge Esmie Chombo ordered that Karim bail has been revoked and an arrest warrant be issued against him.

Karim is  facing charges alongside Mphwiyo and others, including civil servants such as former Accountant General David Kandoje, Auzius Kazombo Mwale, Clemence Mmadzi and Roosevelt Ndovi. The list of suspects also includes contractors.

Others are George Banda, Michael Mphatso, Samuel Mzanda and convict Maxwell Namata who are facing charges of fraud, negligence by public office, money laundering, theft by public servant, theft by servant and conspiracy to defraud government funds amounting to K2 446 817 450.49.

Also charged is an expert in information technology (IT) Steve Likhunya Phiri . Others are Stafford Mpoola, Andrew Patrick Chilalika, Fatch Chungano,  Cecilia Mervis Ng’ambi, Gerald Magaleta Phiri  and  Ndaona Satema.

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Mwenye
Mwenye
7 years ago

The police are also useless? How did they allow Karim to go to RSA when he was on bail? Lawyer Kita is equally useless and a liar. He was lying to the court that Karim was sick when he knew he fled the country. Anyway, hope is not lost. The warrant of arrest shud be given to interpol so that he is arrested in South Africa. Kita himself is answering money laundering charges involving K55 million. The ACB shud speed up his case.

Aubry Kadzuwa
Aubry Kadzuwa
7 years ago

first and formost freeze muthalikas assets before anybody else.amalawi mwanji tulo kapena titikupusa kapena?wina akukudyerani masukummaso mukuwona kumakalimbana ndi ti ma change

Cheyo the real northerner
Cheyo the real northerner
7 years ago

Kita is confusionist and a lawyer. Kita is also answering his own cashgate charges. Kita is just a lawyer by mistake. Don’t trust him. He is a thief.

Lungu
7 years ago

Interpol basi, Lutepo and Pika were put on interpol wanted list, you can do the same with him or offer a reward and we will give him to you! Ofcourse in southafrica with his crew

mtofu
mtofu
7 years ago

Abale mwina oyipa ndi ine koma lawyer uyu amandinyasa kwabasi. munthu wamtundu wanji kumangoimirira zigawenga koma akudziwa kuti anthu awa aononga koopsa. nanu ma judge tatengeranipo phunziro pamenepa, please revolke all bails granted

mjiba
mjiba
7 years ago

ha ha ha Malawian lawyers. all along Kita was facilitating that Karim should evade justice by presenting in courts fake affidavits that his client was in South Africa sick when he knew that Karim was not sick. Kita should also face charges for deliberately misleading the court.

Chunga
Chunga
7 years ago

The guy has had several months to externalise his assets and set himself up in SA.
That warrant of arrest is a joke!!!

Mithi NGONGA
Mithi NGONGA
7 years ago

He’s several months ahead of you. Munthu anathawa kale kale mukupanga warrant of arrest lero? Wapita basi ameneyo. I hope the state doesn’t make the same mistakes with his co-defendants. They are all flight risks in view of the cash the stole and our porous borders. Revoke all their bails, akalaweko ku maula.

Martin Kanthu
Martin Kanthu
7 years ago

How is did he manage to travel to SA whilst on bail? Did the court approve his travel? Has he not been reporting to the police as a requirement for his bail?
He’s been in SA for months, everyone knows this…..he’s not even hiding; he’s all over social media on a daily basis snorting cocaine. So what’s the state going to do about it? Freezing his assets would be a good start….

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