ACB seeks 60 days extension of Mutharika’s bank account freeze: ‘Suspicious movement of money’

March 10, 2021 Zawadi Chilunga - Nyasa Times 39 Comments

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has  asked the High Court in Lilongwe  for an extension of 60 days of the freeze order on immediate past president Peter Mutharika’s personal account and joint account with former first lady Gertrude Mutharika.

Mutharika: Accounts frozen

In August 2020, the ACB froze bank accounts of Mutharika, his wife Gertrude, former Malawi Revenue Authority deputy commissioner general Roza Mbilizi and Mutharika’s personal bodyguard Norman Chisale.

The decision was made in connection with an investigation ACB made into an alleged importation of cement worth K5 billion allegedly using Mutharika’s privileges as head of State.

The graft-busting body has stated that failed to complete its investigations due to an upsurge  of covid-19 cases which affected  some of its staff, according to a sworn statement filled  on February 26 by ACB senior investigations officer Robert Mbuzi Mkandawire.

But now ACB says the investigations are now complete and strongly believe Mutharika’s accounts constitute “proceeds of crime”  as evidenced by material objective information which they have gathered which show thar, there was  “suspicious movement of money” from Mutharika’s bank accounts to the others which cannot be justified.

Mkandawire’s sworn statement said ACB also intends to comments proceeding against Mutharika “to recover the money that was lost through the revealed corrupt practices.”

Reads part of  the sworn statement: “In the circumstances, it is imperative to restrict [Mutharika’s] bank accounts to preserve the property therein and not render the asset recovery process nugatory should the  applicants succeed in that regards.”

Former president’s lawyer  Samuel  Tembenu, who is also former minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in Mutharika’s administration,  is on record to have accused ACB of  “high level of crookedness” in the matter.

Section 23 (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act gives the bureau powers to freeze assets for preservation from disposal of suspected proceeds of crime pending conclusion on investigations.

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39 replies on “ACB seeks 60 days extension of Mutharika’s bank account freeze: ‘Suspicious movement of money’”

  3. ACB has no substance at all
    They know who is at fault but still clinging to this man
    There is a lot they have to check but they put all efforts on one man.sad

  4. We all know a great chunk of his money is stolen money (corruption proceeds) thru Asians and Chisale. We shouldn’t even debate about it. How much is the presidents salary? He can’t have lots of million from his salary when he is the major person funding his party as well, ok let’s say he brought money from the USA can he show the transfers? Or if they are from his investments which ones? Let’s be real guys. It will be at the discretion of the courts to give him access to the stolen money. The onus is on him to prove that his money is legit money not the state/ACB

    1. komatu tsiku lina, mudzakhala mukupuma Ku Kasiya, osamadzalira DPP ikadzakufinyani. Chifukwa nayo imafinya, mukamufuse Joyce Banda ndi Cassim Chilumpha

  8. The ACB must be held in contempt of court. How many extensions do they need? They either are incompetent or are joking around.

    1. APM anali mbava nanunso inu! Under his leadership working hard in school, business, sports, etc became completely useless. But stealing, boot licking, party royalist cum zealots/ thugs aka cadets, all senor positions koma ukhale Lhomwe or DPP sympathiser. Let him rot. He was a thug, ayi

  9. I think its high time Malawi stops persecuting former presidents. Our politics is soooo toxic, vindictive and callous towards political foes. The same thing will happen with Chakwera when he is out of office. They will sue him for the K6,2 billion and hus accounts will be frozen as well. That is not the way we need to honour and respect our former presidents. Crimes commited while in office should be prosecuted while in office. Please our parliament should remove presidential immunity. In SADC, we are the only country where our former presidents are treated like dogs.

    1. It’s simple…the Presidents themselves should not STEAL.If they still the long arm of the law will surely catch them! No persecution here…justice is the term we use!

      1. my question to you is has justice ever been served in this country when it comes to former heads of state?. None is serious because they also just have plans to steal and don’t want to set a precedent.

  10. The high court must place conditions on how Acb utilises the time funds remain frozen. Otherwise acb could just be kicking this can down the road for eternity until apm forgets his bank balance. The court must not just extend the mandate if acb seems is not serious about prosecution. Lazy acb is always quick to accuse but not willing to complete investigation and prosecute.

    1. Za ziii!

      Everytime ACB applies for an extension the reasons are given and a judge guided by law makes a decision based on those reasons.

      The judge can refuse to issue an extension and extensions are for a limited time for example typically 60 days.

      1. this is the third extension they are seeking, which means whatever reasons acb gave last time it didn’t workout. this is akin to punishment without trial which sadly MCP is well known of doing.

        1. If resources were accumulated through crooked means, then let the law take its course. This country is becoming poorer and poorer through dishonest leaders. What these people illegally take belongs to Malawians who will still be funding their retirements until they die. So why steal from the same perosn who will be financing your wellbeing until God says “come?”.
          Anthuwa ndi opanda chisoni, ndalama za chitukuko iwowo ndi mabwenzi n’kumaba, achinyamata ena n’kumawapanga glorify. It’s high time these politicians answer for what they did when in Government. Stealing has become a way of life in Malawi and yet we are too religious at every level.

  11. That’s victimization of Muntharika and failure by the ACB. In other countries courts can not tolerate this silent torture

    2. It’s not victimisation but seeking justice. This man and his cohort of thieves stole a lot of money he must account for his crime

  13. Tonse Government will not achieve anything in their 5years tenure of office because of their appetite to revenge.DPP is smiling at their failure to fulfill their promises.

  15. While the reasons for freezing his accounts may be valid, but it is taking long considering that he is a human being and needs money for his wellbeing. Worse still, unconfirmed reports indicate that his salary as ex-president is channeled through the frozen account. This means he cannot access it, which not fair if true.
    Justice delayed is justice denied

  16. Mfinyeneni! Get back that money that belongs to Malawians. We have a lot of infrastructure we need to build

    1. Galu iwwe don dada amufinye kuti acb ikulephela kumpeza olakwa APM mose muja idayambbila ikusowa chonena.Naweso lazaro Zeru ulibeletu mmalo moti uzichita zomwe udalonjeza ungolimbana ndi APM musiyeni mdala uyo azidya ndalamazo malawi will never change corruption will nver end here in malawi just think of only 8 month 6.2 bn ndiye kumene kuthere 5 years muba zingati? all politcians in malawi are fools .

  17. Criminals are ahead, they rarely leave any foot prints. This is will continue for time to come in Malawi. The problem is in the govt you only get two or three people who are sober minded, the whole lot being corrupt.
    In the UK, they came up with “Unexplained Wealth Order” and they take everything off you if can’t explain or show how you got it. It works because it is so straight forward but our MPs wouldn’t pass that kind of bill because they are part of it.

  19. Komatu, what goes around comes around, someday Dpp will be back in power ndipo wina azanyela. Nkhonya yobwezela kuwawa.

    1. Uust be a big fool, how much money was stolen and u still have the guts to think that he is being persecuted shame

      1. Ndiwedi mbuzi ya mano kunsi. Mboli yako. ACB is abusing the court process for its incompetence. Justice delayed is justice denied and the court is not supposed to tolerate this.

    2. We are watching with keen intrest . We are mindful that alot of dirt is reaching our eyes and eyes. Chinabuluka chinomal. We know zamafuta, we know za K6.2b, we know about uyu odzikonda ngati wanzelu ndiyeyekhayu. Malawi alindi anthu a nzeru kuposa iyeyu, zaziii.

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