JB tells Malawi faith leaders: ‘Nobody will be protected’ in cash-gate crackdown
President Joyce Banda has assured the Faith Leaders that he will not protect anybody being family members or ruling party officials if they are linked in the ongoing investigations of massive plundering of public resources at Capita Hill.
President Banda made the assurance at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe where she invited Faith leaders from different denominations to brief them on the progress made and what government is doing to end the massive looting of public resources.
Banda said she started the investigations after realizing that a lot of money is lost in the government system.
“You will be shocked to hear that after me and my team worked dedicatedly to ensure that the economy recovers, I was always surprised at how there was still no money in government. That’s when I gave my minister of finance and budget director four weeks to come up with a plan that will ensure that people don’t steal money from government, that’s when all this uncovering of massive looting started,” she said.
The President told the leaders that she has told her family members, party members and friends that they will not be shielded if they are involved in the corruption cases.
President Banda asked the church leaders to pray for the nation.
“Church leaders, I urge you to pray for this nation to ensure that the crisis that we are facing now should pass,” said Banda
In an interview after the meeting, Public Affairs Committee Chairperson, Bishop Jamea Tengatenga hailed the Malawi leader for inviting the faith leaders to a round table to brief them on the cash leak scandal.
“We are happy and honoured that our President invited us to brief us, this is a national issue and as such we should all hold hands and stand together against this evil practice of corruption regardless of our political and religious affiliations,” said Tengatenga.
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Fahad Assani, tasked with reviewing the Corrupt Practices Act, also confirmed that the President has assured him “that she will not protect anybody”.
Assani, who served as Director of Public Prosecutions almost a decade ago, said: “She says even members of her family if they are found to be part of the problem, they have to be punished.
“We want to have well-investigated cases where we are likely to secure convictions and be able to recover all looted funds.
“The President is looking at a possibility of 10 percent recovery and forfeiture of all property coming as a result of this looting.”
