Malawi immigration chief sworn affidavit says ex-president plans to bolt
Malawi’s Chief Immigration Officer, Elvis Thodi in a sworn affidavit to the High Court says former president Bakili Muluzi planned to be on self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom to derail his corruption case.
Thodi based his information on anonymous source which prompted Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) to obtain an injunction stopping Muluzi from leaving the country on Sunday.
Muluzi was due for operation by Wednesday in UK on his slip disc problem which he suffered after propelling President Bingu wa Mutharika to power in the 2004 campaign. He had been first operated on in 2006.
“I Elvis Thodi, a Chief Immigration Officer have the following affidavit. I received an anonymous call advising me that Dr Bakili Muluzi was leaving the country for good. He is using his medical condition as an excuse for leaving the country,” reads a sworn affidavit by Thodi.
”He intends to extend his stay on such grounds in the United Kingdom indefinitely to frustrate the case in the High Court,” he added, “I informed the anonymous caller that I will refer the matter to the ACB . I on 17th June 2009 contacted the Director of ACB and gave him the information.”
The statement was sworn as an affidavit before legal practitioner Stella Rose Mapemba in Blantyre.
ACB director sought an injunction on Friday night which was granted by Justice Joseph Manyungwa at about 10:00 pm
The High Court sitting in Blantyre also ordered the seizure of Muluzi’s passport.
”We have seized his passport because there are some things we have to look into before he leaves for the UK,” Anti-Corruption Bureau director Alex Nampota told Reuters.
Muluzi through his lawyers made an application in the High Court to depart Malawi for London on June 21 and return on August 3 to undergo sine operation.
Nampota did not object to the request and told the court that it is in the interest of the State that Muluzi attends trial in good health.
Judge McLean Kamwambe also allowed Muluzi to seek medical attention but indicated that he will make his ruling on preliminary issues raised as whether ACB director has authority to prosecute matters under the Penal Code other than the Corrupt Practices Act even in Muluzi’s absence.
One of Muluzi’s lawyers, Jai Banda said the anti-graft body is claiming Muluzi did not plan to come back after travelling base on anonymous calls.
Banda said the claims were politically motivated and unfounded.
Thodi recently clashed with Muluzi at a funeral of the father to his daughter’s husband Amos Malisita when the Immigration Chief who is member of Malisita family foul-mouthed the former Head of State claiming that he fired him as Commissioner of police, and according to him there was no apparent reason for the ex-ruler to attend the funeral.
Muluzi has been subject of government persecution in the last five years facing various charges.
He was also accused of plotting to overthrow the government and was arrested on his arrival from UK at the airport.
However, the High Court recently dismissed the charges against eight people accused in a coup plot after the “state failed to formally charge the suspects.”
The eight include three serving military officers –Brigadiers Juvenalis Mtende, Marcel Chirwa and Cosgrove Mituka– who were ordered back into in the command of the Malawi Defence Force.
Others were retired army general Joseph Chimbayo and former police chief Joseph Aironi, who were arrested in May last year.
Muluzi who had been shown documents by police which linked him to the coup plot, said the documents were “laughable and fake”, saying they were fabricated and a ploy to intimidate and silence the opposition.
Meanwhile, Muluzi’s team of lawyers plan to challenge the injunction on Monday at the High Court.
UDF, the party Muluzi heads says it is concerned with continued victimization and political persecution of the former president.
Party secretary-general Kennedy Makwangwala however urged party supporters to pray for the “health and well-being of Muluzi” at the time he will be fighting against forces who wish him dead.
Tagged with: ACB, Chief Immigration Officer, Justice Josph Manyungwa, Justice Maclean Kamwambi, Muluzi, Nampota, Thodi, UDF
Muluzi doesnt have a United Kingdom resident permit(visa),find another excuse:anonymous source ????with no evidence.If Muluzi abscords it will be for the benefit of the government to impound those vast wealthy he has ammassed in the last 15 years.It looks like common sense is not common among these two policemen.
Abafana Abefero 101% angoni.
Kodi iwe Abafana, ulipo, unasowatu. Wawona kuti ayamba untengetsa Tcheya, wati utulukiletu!! Zabwino zonse…Tiona kuti zitha bwaaa!!!…
Abwenzi:ndilipo mbale,only busy trying to make a living as well as looking after my sick poorly friend C.K Spareribs,I hope he will make it.Moni!moni! kunyumbako.
Nyambi(mfana wa pa ndirande,mwana wa a zakhali) and Mzara(the gentleman) are nowhere near nyasatimes,atola chikwama cha DPP.
Abafana Abefero 101% Angoni
l Like to agree with abafana abafero. it can’t happen to this highly confident man, kuthawa no he loves kapoloma and BCA very much.have mercy on my homey let him access good medical care.
Iwe Kelvin, ufiti sikutamba kokha. If we have 20% of malawians thnking like you, our land will never heal because there are many politicians (even in current govt) who are abusive. Mulekeni Tcheya apite kuchipatala. Is he the first malawian to seek medical treatment abroad?
NOOOOOOO Muluzi should not leave for UK for his medical treatment..there has been in power for the last five years there was acute shortage of drugs in the hospitals. He was quite aware of all this and it is heard that he was at the helm of the drug shortage problem. HE MUST BE TREATED AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING HOSPITALS (KAMUZU CENTRAL, QEEN ELIZABETH OR MZUZU CENTRAL HOSPITAL) He has to appreciate what suffering he caused to the nation. through his corrupt and bad governance!! Iyeyo ankadalira ndalama zokuba kuona ngati sizamuthandiza pa mavuto….The Governemnt just wants what is due to Malawi as nation to be claimed back by its rightful owners!!! MALAWIANS
that is being silly, you mean if you had the money to go for sn operstion abroad where ytou hav specialised people you wouldnt have gone… leave Muluzi alone.. we dont want to lose him for your own information. tell that to your father
guyz dont tek it personal we all have 2 be treated equally why makin a lot of fuss is it because its muluzi, everybody must be answerable what if thodi is right remember kamuzu Banda was jailed while he was in bad health ,Chikakwiya, Mwawa , Mpasu etc
Abwiye che Mwanakhu Kambenje.
Ndikugwilizana nanu. Bambo amaneyu akudwala mpwesa.
LET MULUZI GO FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT
Nompota why is the case of Muluzi taking so long to solve or does it mean that you do not have enough facts for your alleged case?
For the good of the Nation allow Muluzi to go for treatment.
>Should something happen while in Malawi then if tizalilila THODI
THODI WAIWALA KUTI UNABA NDALAMA IF TIKUZIWA CALL YOURSELVE LUCKY BECAUSE AMOYA AKULAMULA.KOMA SAMALA
guys if Muluzi dies, who is going to answer his charges? the government will still lose out. let muluzi go and have his treatment, after all if he came bak to malawi after he heard he wud be arrested what will stop him from coming bak to answer these silly charges. A thodi, you are just wasting your time and angokulangani ambuye chabe… okweee what is your problem man? leave MY ACHAIR ALONE.
Much as we appreciate the fact that the former head of state is in no condition to stay away from medication, we should also consider allowing him to carry his own cross. What did you say were the purpose of the money he gnashed? Anyway, Atcheya’s life/health is more important than ndalama. By the look of things,munthuyu waphunzira given another chance to run a nation sangapangenso zachibwana. Muloreni apite kuchipatala.
Malawians lets fortget the past. Chaona mzako chapita mawa chiri kwa iwe. My question is suppose Muluzi dies today, is the current Government going to attend the funeral?Mbuzi inu muyankhe. Thodi you are nosense you do not take issues form someone whom youdo not know. I know your phone has a caller Id are youi sure that you do not know the person who caller you? Siya zibwana Thodi tsiku lina uzalira
Thodi is from Lomwe land, Nampota as well. Chief Justice is Lomwe so is the IG of police. The place where we need another Lomwe is the army. As soon as we sort that out you will see what we want to do in this land. Ameneyu ndiye Bingu. Ena tikanena mchonchi ndiye kumati Bingu is using merit to appoint people in positions. What a lie. Bingu has really sold this lie to every Malawian that he is doing every thing on merit. Wait ti will be too late when you realise that we Lomwes we are everywhere. Kamuzu was a dictator but many important positions were made on merit. Dikirani tikuonetsani dodolido.