ACB says Malawi ex-leader Muluzi graft case still on
The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) says the case in which former president Bakili Muluzi is accused of pocketing K1.7 billion which the state suspected “donors” deposited in his personal account, is “still in court” despite stalling.
According to ACB spokesperson Egritta Ndala technicalities are slowing the progress of the case which started in 2005.
Ndala told Weekend Nation that the Bureau is waiting for a ruling “on a preliminary objection pertaining to documents which were tendered by one of the prosecution witnesses.”
The former president has always said the charges were linked to his dispute with his successor, late Bingu wa Mutharika.
Muluzi stepped down in 2004 after serving as president for 10 years.
He hand-picked late Bingu wa Mutharika to run for president on the (United Democratic Front) UDF ticket.
But eight months after his victory, Bingu resigned from the UDF over what he claimed was hostility to his anti-corruption campaign.
He retired from active politics in 2009 due to ill-health and UDF today is being led by his 35 –year-old son Atupele who is also serving as minister in President Prof. Peter Mutharika’s cabinet.
Muluzi was initially charged with 86 counts of corruption and abuse of office. They were trimmed to three. He denies the charges.
