Ntata implicates Mutharika in K92bn cashgate: ‘Malawi President delaying to release forensic report’

Allan Ntata, the late Bingu wa Mutharika’s legal adviser, has implicated President Peter Mutharika in the K92 billion (US$206.7 million) Cashgate which was reportedly mismanaged during the first Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

K92 billion went missing over the eight years of the presidency of the late Bingu wa Mutharika and the structure of that government is the same which incumbent Peter Mutharika is using.

Ntata writing on his Facebook page claimed pressure is mounting on President Mutharika not to release the MK92 billion forensic audit report because he is linked to the looting from the public purse at Capital Hill during late Bingu’s eight-year rule.

According to Ntata, a Mrs Sadiq of HTD allegedly defrauded government through the Malawi Police close to K20 billion on bogus purchase of motor vehicles like KIA Sorento and President Mutharika is “closely linked and associated with HTD and the bogus payments could be linked to him.”

Ntata alleges that from 2010 to 2011, Mutharika travelled regularly with a Mr Harris Sidik the Director of HTD.

“This was the time the two were allegedly sharing their share of the MK92 billion,” claims Ntata.

The implication of the President might just heap more trouble on him as Parliament is likely to seek for his audience in the chamber to answer these implications. Currently, Mutharika is playing hide and seek with Parliament where he is wanted to explain the proposed sale of Malawi Savings Bank and other contentious issues.

Ntata has been using the social media to attack the DPP and its leadership.

But government spokesman Kondwani Nankhumwa said Ntata cannot back his outbursts, saying they are all defamatory claims and character assassination.

He said they will not dignify Ntata’s “acts of frustration” with their comments.

DPP spokesman Francis Kasaila said Ntata is now a biter critic of the Mutharika government because he is a frustrated man.

Ntata, according to DPP spokesman, is seeking attention to cure his frustrations.

But Ntata, who is a consultant at Rak Gas and United Arab Emirates (UAE) firm which is involved in oil exploration activities in Malawian districts under Block Five, has shot down the claims of being frustrated.

There are also fevered speculations on social media outlets that others mentioned in the K92 billion report are ministers George Chaponda and Henry Mussa.

Germany-funded financial investigation—conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) will expose ministries and departments behind the K92 billion heist between 2009 and 2012 as well as broader public finance malfeasance as it also covers the years up to 2014, according to sources close to the audit exercise.

Not wanting to give out more information, spokesperson at National Audit Office, Lawrence Chinkhunda, confirmed that PWC have finalized the audit and presented the report to relevant authorities.

He said the report covers a period of five years, which includes the period when the K92 billion issues occurred but pointed out that it is “not restricted to the K92 billion.”

Gondwe said the report has not yet been submitted to him.

But opposition lawmakers pressed government to release the audit report through the Speaker’s office to avoid the government tampering with its contents.

Addressing a news conference in the evening, President Mutharika said he would pursue convictions in all scandals, pledging that his administration will not spare anyone as far as cash-gate is concerned.

Germany funded forensic audit to the tune of K9.76 billion.

 

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