Ben Phiri an instant billionaire: Malawi ‘prime minister’ wealth raises eyebrows

A citizen-led initiative to help build and ensure public accountability has put together a dossier of President Peter Mutharika’ special adviser Ben Phiri showing he has become an instant billionaire after paying K100 million mortgage in four months on the four properties he has bought in posh Area 10 location in the capital Lilongwe.

Ben Phiri: State House 'special' aide to President: Mind boggling wealth
Ben Phiri: State House ‘special’ aide to President: Mind boggling wealth questioned

According to the dossier, Phiri has bought five properties in Area 10 and buses from South Africa.

The properties were bought through National Bank of Malawi and he paid K100 million in four months.

Phiri is being suspected of wrongful self-enrichment and the dossier wants an investigation on whether he is being fronted by President Mutharika or his own ‘cashgate’ affair.

Senior Advisor to the President on Strategy and Communication, Bright Malopa, was the first to raise an alarm as he reportedly wrote President Mutharika informing the Head of State that his youthful PA allegedly extorts huge sums of money from rich Asians, Nigerians, Rwandese and Burundians “in exchange for appointments with the President and government contracts”.

Malopa expressed worry that Ben Phiri has grown so much into himself and that he refuses to take advice from anyone, including the Chief of Staff (Peter Mukhito) on crucial State House matters.

In Malopa’s communication to the Head of State, it was revealed that Ben Phiri bosses over all cabinet ministers and elected members of the DPP National Governing Council (NGC).

A watchdog called Independent Commission on Accountability and Transparency (iCAT) is said to gather more information on Phiri’s mind boggling wealth. He banks locally and in United Arab Emirates.

The watchdog is wondering how Phiri has amassed a spectacular fortune and property portfolio in one year being at State House, while earning a modest civil servant salary.

Icat was launched by law barrister Allan Z. Ntata and social-political activist Ben Chiza Mkandawire.

According to Ntata, who had previously worked at Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) and also served as late president Bingu wa Mutharika’s legal advisor, Icat is there to ensure to promote transparency, accountability, integrity and access to information at all levels of society in the fight against graft in Malawi.

Ntata claims Phiri wields considerable influence over Mutharika and that he is a de facto appointing authority and self –styled ‘Prime Minister.’

Phiri is also said to be manipulating Chief Secretary to Office of President and Cabinet, George Mkondiwa. The two however, travelled together to Britain last week.

The remarkable growth of Phiri’s assets, fuel further speculation about his abuse of State House position to accumulate his wealth.

“There is no way a single, honest person in high office can manage to acquire such wealth like Phiri, other than through corruption,” the dossier notes in part.

Malawi is reeling from a mass corruption scandal christened as Cashgate which London based auditors Baker Tilly revealed about K13 billion was lost from 2012.

About K92 billion was lost from 2005.

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Zili kumeneko
Zili kumeneko
8 years ago

Timva zikapsa…ma cashgate amenewa dyereran..paja nka chain et..mutiuza..

bungu
bungu
8 years ago

the problem is that ben and Peter the are some last time the stil 92bn but no body say anything 2 problem is a malawife ndife oputsa why cos pri timapatsa phavu tinazorowera inde bwana basi kuli anthu azenru koma basi nganga ndi mapuya amene anavotela mbava asadandaule just sutip you are

Afumu Phiri
Afumu Phiri
8 years ago

This world full of wonders how come Ben can have such amount of money within one year??????????????? I believe kuseli kuli wina a Malawi azanga pls these pipo ndi mbava, plus judge Kenyata.

ujeni
8 years ago

The first thng a first time visitor to Malawi sees on arrival is the amount of people in our cities who walk with barefeet. Then he/she imagines about the rural districts. Yet we have a mosquito who is a nobody stealing money and throwing it around like pekekani pelekani mxii!

CHIMWERE KUMUNDA
CHIMWERE KUMUNDA
8 years ago

Musiyeni nthawi yoti asangalale ndimeneyi anazunzika ali ku opposition ndi APM mpaka kuvulazidwa ku Mount Soche. Muli inu mukanatani?

blessing lipengs
blessing lipengs
8 years ago

2yrs ago I said the curse of poverty on Malawi has not been broken and it will take divine intervention for Malawi to have a political will to
develop .99% of all African leaders into into politics not to make history by changing humanity ,they are all driven by greedy for self accumulation ,from pastors to
politicians.the fall of DPP is near again

alekekuba
alekekuba
8 years ago

Koma Allan munthu uyu azamudya wamoyo. Whatever persoanl hatred you have should not be our affair. Can ypu also be transparent enough and let us know how much wealth you accumulated nthawi ya Bingu. Zimawawa akamadya nzako- , zimakokma ukamadya iweyo. Pamene pabedwa ndalamapo iweyo (Allan) upaulule

Honourable Yusuf Jonas

This is a preliminary report !!!

We are waiting for the full investigation report. Who interrogated him and what findings are tabled surrounding this matter??

Ngati ili jealous nde pepani akuchimuna inu, dikirani nthawi yanu !!!

half man half biscuit
half man half biscuit
8 years ago

Ntata and chiza, constitution yathu imalola kulemera ndipo siinapereke guidance pa cuma cimene munthu angapeze pacaka. Cacikulu ben10 acenjere cifukwa malopa akugwira ntchito usana ndi usiku kuti athane naye. Nonse a dpp mukutumbwa komatu teremu itha osamalidzidwa. Mwaiwala pompano!!! Mwinanso ben10 akudziwa za ulosiwu ncifukwa akudzikundikira cuma mofulumira. Athu ndi maso ndimakutu basi.

mnyamata oyikonda nyasatimes

political appointments!!!! remember they r shirt lived n anyone found in it tries to maximize its opportunities. but bear in mind that he who hates constructive critism is a fool. pride is colourless and tasteless but it is the first thing that chokes u
be careful ben phiri your d-day is just around the corner.

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