Court orders Standard Bank to produce cheque images to identify cashgate beneficiaries

Standard Bank of Malawi has been ordered by High Court to produce cheque images that show transactions carried on the accounts of companies owned by cashgate convict Oswald Lutepo between April and October 2013 identifying those that benefited from the infamous cashgate scandal.

Justice Redson Kapindu
Justice Redson Kapindu

The principal beneficiaries Lutepo, whose companies accounted for K4.2 billion (($7.5 million)of the total, was convicted on his own plea of guilty of conspiracy to defraud government of and money laundering.

A British-funded audit discovered evidence suggesting that fraudulent cheques were written out in big batches between April and September 2013.

Cashgate audit report conducted by British auditing firm Baker Tilly cheques were paid into at least ten different commercial banks throughout Malawi with the highest amount deposited in Standard Bank (49 %).  In comparison the lowest amount (1%) was deposited into OIBM.

The report says 22 cheques from 10 different businesses were banked at Standard Bank representing 49% of the ‘cashgate’ funds.

Analysis of the cheques deposited into Standard Bank shows the majority of this amount relates to two businesses being;  IPS and O&G Constructions  who  received  MK 1,860,584,273 and MK 1,140,738,209, respectively.

“These amounts total MK 3,001,322,562 which is 43.4% of the total ‘cashgate’ cheques. Both businesses are owned by Osward Lutepo,” reads the report in part.

The High Court judge Redson Kapindu sitting in Zomba registry on Monday has asked Standard Bank to make available the cheque images by September 2 and has also asked the defence team to make the cheque images available to the court by September 4 when sentencing will take place.

Defence lawyer Oswald Mtupila told the court that it was unfortunate that the cheque images the bank provided earlier did not show names of those who received money from the accounts of Lutepo’s Cashgate connected companies, Woget Industries Limited and International Procurement Services.

“The bank says its policy does not allow it to give account information to the third party, we really needed this information because it will vindicate my client as he was only used as a channel to siphon money from government coffers hence the ultimate beneficiaries would be known,” he said.

He also said he did not intend to dispute findings by an independent evaluator Amos Makalichi Chinkhadze of Lipindi Property Services who was hired by both the state and defence to re-evaluate Woget Industries which Lutepo restituted.

The assessor has since found that the company is worth K370 million ($658 363).

The property was a subject of controversy following huge discrepancies that followed as earlier the State found that it was worth K293 million ($521 352.31) while the defence said it was worthy K1.427 billion ($2.5 million).

The ‘Cashgate’ involved a systematic plunder that involved public officers conniving with private sector firms and  individuals.

The scandal led donors to suspend about $150m in budget support and aid to the Southern African nation. Malawi’s International Monetary Fund program also went off track because of the scandal.

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Pafuka utsi pali moto
Pafuka utsi pali moto
8 years ago

Munva mpola! Mufuna munamizilepo ma policy…simungalilamule chochita khot. kuvutavuta konseku mukufuna kubisalaa..munva m bebe….ma top managers mukudziwa zomwe zinkachitika…komanso system yanuyo musinthe ma positions kungoika achitumba mbwee,agawilenkoni anzanu

Zayambapo kkkkk
8 years ago

Kampani ya a tumbuka please produce chqs ;mwagawan ma branch onse aku mmwera Managers tumbukas check if i am cheating ‘blantyre;limbe;zomba balaka;ntcheu kkkkk

Prosper Chabvuta
Prosper Chabvuta
8 years ago

According to m’y very limited legal understanding, a court supoena overrides any internal procédures of any organisation within the jurisdiction of the involved court. So please Standard Bank just comply with the learned judge’s request!

Bob
Bob
8 years ago

How could a mere bank dictate what the government should do in a sensitive issue like this one? Stolen money must be recovered we need to know who got what and how much. Is Standard Bank bigger than the courts? Musatinyansepo apa release the CCTV tapes or wina wadyapo zamumanja pamenepo.

MCHEMO
MCHEMO
8 years ago

NOW IT’S WHEN I REMEMBER KONGWE SCHOOL – OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ROBERT BLAKE SCHOOL – WHOSE MOTTO IS:

TRUTH SHALL PREVAIL

simeon ivory
simeon ivory
8 years ago

Kayatu kumeneko Mai Hilda kumene kwatsala tchire mkumene kumapita moto

Che Ngana
8 years ago

In Most Cases Receivers Are Treated As Witnesses.I Dont See Anything Wrong With The Judge Calling For These Beneficiries.Munyanya Kulandira Zirizonse Akukwizinganidi Ndi Receiving Stollen Cash.Ignorance Of The Law Is Not Defence.Ndimadabwa Ine.

Okay?
Okay?
8 years ago

Apa ndipomwe mai winawake walithawa dziko akokedwe “mapilikanilo”

Pata phiri
Pata phiri
8 years ago

U mzee if someone who could not afford a car that even a used one and suddenly he gives u big donations then how could chakwera accept in good faith all are crooks

Fanny
Fanny
8 years ago

Kodi Lawyer wa Standard Bank ndi ndani?Akuti policy?Is policy above statue?Let him or her read Tournier -v-National Provincial & Union Bank 1924.Musatinyase give out the images you idiots.

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