Amaryllis saga deepens as fresh CCTV footage reportedly implicates senior minister

The controversy surrounding the sale of Amaryllis Hotel has taken a new turn after the emergence of what are said to be additional CCTV recordings allegedly showing a senior Cabinet minister participating in the withdrawal and movement of cash linked to the transaction.

The footage is understood to form part of material obtained by the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) from a commercial bank during investigations into the deal.

Earlier leaked recordings drew public attention after appearing to implicate several individuals, including businessman Collins Magalasi.

The latest development comes against the backdrop of a widening institutional fallout.

Former FIA Director General Dr Jean Piriminta was removed from her position after the authority froze proceeds from the hotel sale pending further scrutiny, a move supporters argued was necessary to safeguard public funds and protect the interests of pension contributors.

The affair has also led to disciplinary action elsewhere.

A police officer has reportedly been interdicted over the alleged leaking of CCTV material, while reports indicate that two Ministry of Finance officials have been sent home as investigations continue.

If authenticated, the newly surfaced footage could raise further questions about the handling of the Amaryllis transaction and the involvement of senior public officials.

The emergence of the recordings is likely to intensify scrutiny of a deal that has already exposed tensions between transparency, accountability and political power.

For now, the authenticity of the recording and the identities of those appearing in it remain subject to verification, leaving investigators under renewed pressure to establish the full facts surrounding one of Malawi’s most contentious public-interest controversies.