Chimwendo Sue’s former Malawi Gaming Board director of Finance for K300m

Youth and Sports Minister, Richard Chimwendo Banda has sued former Finance Director of Malawi Gaming Board Henry Bakuwa of K300 million for alleging that the minister pocketed K4 million to push for the passing of a bill for the institution in parliament.
This is in reference to the Gaming and Lotteries Bill which saw the merging of the Malawi Gaming Board and National Lotteries Board to create the Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority-MAGLA.
A leaked memo purportedly from Bakuwa further claims that in total the Members of Parliament pocketed over K43 million in total to vote for the MALGA Bill.

Chimwendo Banda
The memo also alleges that minister of Tourism Michael Usi was also given K4 million by the board for the same mission.
Chimwendo Banda, who is a lawmaker for Dowa East and Leader of the House in Parliament, argues he is injured by the allegation as it insinuates he abused his public office, among others.
But through his lawyers, Wilkinson, Chimwendo Banda is now demanding the K300 million as compensation for the words he describes as defamatory in nature.
He also wants Bakuwa to retract his statement and offer a public apology in 24 hours; saying he will commence legal proceedings if he fails to.
Meanwhile, a statement from the Malawi Gaming Board confirms that the leaked memo in circulation is an extract of Bakuwa’s representations before the Auditor General following allegations of fraud at the institution.
But it assures Malawians “that there is nothing untoward in the allegations contained in the internal memo.”
Earlier, Chimwendo Banda wrote on his Facebook page that he did not receive any money or had knowledge of any transactions in question.
Bakuwa says K600 million is alleged to have been stolen through an account which senior managers under former MGB chief executive officer Foster Mulumbe allegedly opened without the knowledge of the board.
Bakuwa was one of the senior managers suspended over the issue and he was told to provide his representations over the allegations to the auditor general.
In his letter, which we have seen, Bakuwa said that the account was also being used by MGM under the current chief executive officer Rachel Mijiga.
According to Bakuwa, K16 million and K19 million cheques were cashed in August this year as part of total of K43 million paid to Members of Parliament to vote for the bill which merged MGB with National Lotteries Board to form  Malawi Gaming Board and Lotteries Authority (MAGLA)
Out of the amount, it is alleged that K8 million was given to Chimwendo and Usi.
“MK4 million was paid personally to Hon Chimwendo Banda (through a payment of MK2 million cashed from personal accounts of CS and CEO) and refunds for the same were sought from the Malawi Gaming Board Office,” reads in part.
Bakuwa added that MK4 million was given to Usi by Mijiga at Mount Soche Hotel and that Mijiga secretly recorded Usi receiving the cash.
“She collected this cash from cashier. This is an additional to sum of MK1, 300.000 which CEO demanded earlier from MK8,000.000.00 which was cashed from FDH Bank,” reads part of Bakuwa’s letter.
He added: “ I have details of other sums of money which were given to Hon. Members {and allegedly a sum of K4,000,000 given to another high-ranking politician].
Bakuwa also alleged that there are cases of mis-procurement at MGB, citing a case where a K9 million contract was awarded but the supplier claimed K32 million saying the contract was extended.
He also alleged that Mijiga obtained loans amounting K24 million within five months after being appointed and these loans were not approved by the MGM Board.
Minister Usi is yet to respond to the allegations but Minister Chimwendo Banda has denied pocketing money from MGB.
“I wish to categorically state that I did not receive any money from the mentioned officers, Malawi Gaming Board or at all.
“I was not involved in any of the alleged transactions or activities for which the money is said to have been sourced,” said Chimwendo Banda in a statement on Facebook.

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