Ntata report exonerates Mphwiyo in Malawi ‘cashgate’ affair: Gunshot survivor was to burst ‘mafia-style’ syndcate

Governance activist and anti-corruption campaigner, Z. Allan Ntata has released his ‘Looting to Kill’ report and exonerated  the finance ministry’s then budget director Paul Mphwiyo  in the “cashgate” corruption scandal, saying the gun-shot survivor was wrongly fingered in his Cashgate report ‘Licence to Loot’ in 2013 .

Gun-shot survivor Mphwiyo
Gun-shot survivor Mphwiyo
 Z. Allan Ntata: Released a report
Z. Allan Ntata: Released a report

Mphwiyo is facing charges of theft and money laundering K2.1 billion ($4.7 million).

But he is a victim of the shooting outside the gate of his Area 43 residence in Lilongwe when he was budget director in the Ministry of Finance.

Former justice minister Ralph Kasambara, Pika Manondo and McDonald Kumwembe have a case to answer on the attempted assassination of Mphwiyo.

In his report launched Tuesday in Lilongwe, Ntata said Mphwiyo was indeed shot when he was about to burst a cashgate syndicate.

“Since the publication of my Cashgate report ‘Licence to Loot’ in 2013, several points have come to light that have compelled me to re-visit my earlier position regarding the role of budget director Paul Mphwiyo, and why an attempt was made on his life.

“First and foremost, a thorough forensic investigation and report was published by the UK based audit firm Baker Tilly. In contradiction to my sources that I relied upon in the preparation of Licence to Loot, the Baker Tilly report failed to establish the link between the infiltration and abuse of IFMIS to the office of country’s budget office or indeed that of the controlling officer, the Secretary to the Treasury,” Ntata said in his new report.

Ntata said the Ministry of Justice and State House sources were part of a well-orchestrated scheme by a “Mafioso type” organised crime syndicate with resources and a robust network to misinform him and other investigators, and sway public opinion from what exactly happened.

“It is now also quite apparent that Cashgate was in fact exposed by Paul Mphwiyo and other officials from our own Treasury and that this is the very reason why an attempt was made on his life,” stated Ntata.

Apparently, the arrest of accounts assistant Victor Sithole – currently serving nine years in jail with hard labour for his part in the K24 billion ($53.3 million) “cashgate” corruption scandal – in August 2013 kick-started what became known as the “cashgate” affair – the worst financial scandal in the country’s history.

It became public knowledge a month later following the shooting of Mphwiyo.

“ It is indeed implausible that a person who held a position for just over thirty days would be able to orchestrate public plunder by literally bulldozing the entire funding and payment process up to the time a cheque is signed by the account general and have it encashed hastily in commercial banks. Thus on this point, in light of the new evidence presented in this brief, my earlier assertions on the role of Paul Mphwiyo.

“Mphwiyo was an obstacle to those that had planned to loot the treasury rather than an accomplice. In fact, the Government should be asking Mphwiyo to help them investigating and prosecuting the Cashgate cases instead of prosecuting him. It seems to me that the reason the Malawi government have criminal cases against Mphwiyo are based on politics rather than law or fact,” Ntata stated.

He cited law professor Danwood Chirwa column published in the Nyasa Times, saying Malawi may have to face the reality that for a long time, the “government has been ran by criminals and has itself become a criminal enterprise.”

Ntata said in the report: “It is now clear that, having been busted and their continued looting foiled, a criminal syndicate stepped up the gear and decided to kill the obstacle. When that assassination attempt [on Mphwiyo] did not go as planned, the syndicate quickly moved to create a narrative that was swallowed line, hook and sinker by the public. The syndicate moved the first ace of confusion to ‘misinform’ not even the Malawi Law Enforcement but first the donors that fund our budget.”

Ntata said it is now “fortunate” that investigators have been able to see beyond the syndicate’s ploy and present the facts clearly.

“Cashgate was already exposed before September 13, 2013 by our own Treasury officials. Based on the information I have reviewed, history has been distorted through a sponsored public opinion campaign by a criminal enterprise against the people that should actually be the heroes for busting a crime syndicate and not the villains as we were meant to believe. The country probably owes such people an apology for having been framed in a carefully crafted fabrication and character branding that is not real,” Ntata said in his report.

He pointed out that Baker Tilly was commissioned to conduct further investigations that culminated into a forensic report including all transactions that had already been exposed by then.

“Cashgate did not, therefore, come to light following the Baker Tilly Report. Baker Tilly just provided the forensic audit trail of what had already been busted,” he noted.

The first person to be convicted in relation to the high-profile case was former Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Tressa Namathanga Senzani, who was sentenced to three years in jail. Several others have since been jailed, including Maxwell Namata, Caroline Savala, Luke Kasamba and Wyson Dzinyemba Soko.

Western donor nations and agencies, which provide 40% of Malawi’s budget, froze vital aid in reaction to the scandal.

In his report, Ntata former legal adviser to president Peter Mutharika’s elder brother, Bingu wa Mutharika, who ruled the country from 2004 until his death in April 2012, said there is no doubt at all that Malawian Presidents since the dawn of democracy have been presiding over systematic corruption and looting, “aided and abated by the presidents themselves,” which has proliferated into all levels of government.

“Unless something drastic is done, it is certain that the Malawi Government’s financial management system will continue to be abused by dishonest politicians and businessmen until they completely bankrupt the already struggling country.

“The sad fact about corruption in Malawi is that looting of public funds has now been institutionalised and is getting more and more pervasive by day,” pointed out Ntata.

Ntata, who is a UK trained barrister, has turned to be a fierce critic of President Mutharika and the Head of State has since dragged him to court for defamation.

The activist said will decide on what action to take if he is served with lawsuit if it “merits any defence or not.”

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
58 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Lonjezo Mtukula
Lonjezo Mtukula
8 years ago

ZOVUTA NDITHU!

MBOLA
8 years ago

Ntata needs to bè arested for contept of court. If you are a real lawyer why cant you just represent your so called Mphwiyo in his cases? Dò you think you alone can see what 16 million people have failed to see? Watch out, diginity and what used to be ethical professionalism in you is diluting. If you have not got any post in today’s administration, just wait and look up to God, otherwise do not rob the last penny of those that are already in trouble, after all you are very young, your time is yet to come, you… Read more »

musisipala
8 years ago

Ntata is an educated savage and oppportunist. He swindled money by ill advising the late Bingu. He just wants to cause problems for the country.He is not a bonafide malawian(dual citizenship) kick him out

ochewa
ochewa
8 years ago

Crying babies are taken out of a church. Ntata was outed after Bing death. Nowonder. But he might have exposed a deal as well let us dig more from his statements.

BATUMEYO MATEMBA
BATUMEYO MATEMBA
8 years ago

once make a small mistake we get arrested on the spot not waiting for the report like cashgate.

phomuphomu
phomuphomu
8 years ago

Allan Ntata is a foolish bastard. What new thing are you bringing up here? Now I know you are good for nothing fool. Umakhala ndi mphwiyo iweyo? komanso under whose authority were you conducting your research? anakutuma kapena kukupempha ndani? Do you take us for granted?ndikuuze mphwanga ngati cholinga chako ukufuna kuti utchuke peza zina zochita osati uzitizunguza ife mitu chifukwa tsiku lina uzapeza polekera tikazatopa nawe ndi kumva za chamba zakozi. ukumuweluza mphwiyo iweyo? allan allan allan how many times have i called you? amalawi tikumva kuwawa heavy usamatiyambe dala. ngati ulibe zokamba khala chete ife tikudikilira a court.

johntembo Kuffor
johntembo Kuffor
8 years ago

Ntata is very stupid. He has nothing new to state, I believe he is eating Chamba and mandrake. I knew Mphwiyo in 2009 when I have been struggling in building my house in A43, until now. He was driving past my plot in the morning at 07.15hrs in a BMW. At 09.30hrs would come in a Prado. At 11.30hrs come in a Benz and at 14.30hrs in BMW X5. All these cars in a single day. I was wondering how blessed he was as a civil servant, which I was as well at that time also, to have had amassed… Read more »

Bambo atuwiri
8 years ago

An empty versal makes a lot of noise educated fool! Sukulu imachotsa umbuli koma uchitsiru ayi!

Complex
Complex
8 years ago

Ntata shut up your mouth or stop your fingers from typing foolish material. I think you are becoming more stupid by every passing day. I used to respect you, but I am now convinced that you are just one of the stupid nonsense blubbers out there. Fool.

Tili Chenene
Tili Chenene
8 years ago

As I said last time tidzawombera mfiti manja ndithu! Uyu wasuta suta uko akudzapanga phokhoso kuno!

Read previous post:
Malawi student with tumour needs K10m for specialist treatment

University of Malawi second year Bachelor of Arts Degree student at the Polytechnic College, Suzan Mkwezalamba, is desperately trying to...

Close