MP Roy Kachale sues Malawi govt for defamation over cashgate link: Ex-president Joyce Banda’s son claiming compensation

Member of Parliament for Zomba-Malosa, Roy Akajuwe Kachale, has filed a lawsuit for defamation against  government over Cashgate forensic audit report on 2013  which implicated him as having been involved in the infamous plunder of public resources at Capital Hill.

Kachale, who is a son to former president Joyce Banda, confirmed that he has filed for defamation, saying he has been forced  to take the move to “protect my integrity and to avoid them tarnishing my reputation.”

According to civil case number 273 at the High Court in Blantyre, private practice lawyer Mapopa Kumwenda representing Kachale  submits to court that: “: “On pages 50, 115,116 and 117 of the said Report the Auditor General wrote, printed and published or caused to be printed words defamatory of Mr Kachale. They are trying to link our client of an alleged relationship to Caroline Savala and hence dragging him into this Cashgate fiasco.”

In September 2014,  RMS ( former Baker Tilly of London)  published an audit report on Fraud and Mismanagement of Finances on behalf of the Malawi Government linking Kachale to businessperson Caroline Savala.

Kachale contends that words usedin the forensic report were “ false and constitute a grave libel”  as they portrayed Kachale as a deceptive, manipulative, cunning and irresponsible person at the time when he was vying for parliamentary seat.

Accoridng to the MP’s lawyer, the words also implicated Kachale as if  he was involved in Cashgate.

Savala is serving prison sentence after the High Court convicted her for theft and money laundering of K84.9 million from Ministry of Tourism through her Carm Civil Engineering Company.

Kachale is claiming undisclosed amount of money for defamation.

His mother, Joyce Banda was president between April 2012 and May 2014 and ordered the forensic audit after the shooting on September 13 2013 of former Ministry of Finance budget director Paul Mphwiyo outside the gate of his Area 43 residence in Lilongwe.

Banda insists that she has no regrets over her handling of the Cashgate affair in which civil servants, businessmen and politicians were put on trial accused of exploiting a loophole in the government’s payment system to divert millions into their own pockets.

She says she asked the British government to fund a forensic audit, made publicly available online, that revealed billions  was stolen in three months during her administration. She also launched an investigation into Bingu wa Mutharika’s last three years as president that uncovered the theft of a staggering K92bn.

The scandal prompted Britain and other donors to freeze direct aid, which made up 40% of the national budget.

The former president says she was warned that a crusade against corruption would ruffle feathers and make enemies, but she was determined to stay the course.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!