Kalonga, Katengeza found with case to answer: Malawi ‘cashgate’

Former deputy director in the Ministry of Tourism, Leonard Kalonga and businessperson Angela Katengeza, who owns Faith Construction have been found with a case to answer by High Court in Lilongwe to charges related to the Cashgate corruption scandal in the civil service.

Judge Fiona Mwale also threw out a State application to present new evidence against Kalonga, saying time for the same had elapsed.

Kalonga—who wore a dark grey suit—and Katengeza, clad in a muilt-coloured maxi dress, looked calm but serious when the judge made her determination.

During the trial, the court heard from an investigator in the Fiscal Department of the Malawi Police Service, that Kalonga used Katengeza to siphon K105.6 million from government.

Kalonga denied charges of theft and money laundering involving K105.9 million which he allegedly stole from the ministry between July and October last year.

Katengeza also rejected the offence of money laundering for which she is charged alongside Kalonga who is also answering other charges whose cases are yet to come before court such as facilitation of the purchase of six buses which the ministry disowned.

But the court has found the two with a case to answer and they will need to defend themselves.

Katengezas’ lawyer, Gilbert Khonyongwa, who asked for 13 days to prepare his defence, said they are ready for the case.