Court dismisses DPP’s Jeffrey K70bn compensation claim from govt

January 14, 2019 Wanga Gwede -Nyasa Times 23 Comments

The High Court in Lilongwe has dismissed governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) secretary general Grezelder Jeffrey K70 billionth claim for compensation from government.

Jeffrey and her fellow co-accused answered charges of corrupt practices

Jeffrey filed the claim following her acquittal in the K187 million Ministry of Education scam during the Bakili Muluzi administration between 1994 and 2004.

The outspoken DPP secretary general and about 50 others were implicated in the scandal exposed through an audit report of March 2000.

Jeffrey, Brian Kachingwe, Agnes Kaphikire (widow of late Phillip Kaphikire) and Tadala Chakhaza (son to late Brighton Chakhaza) were acquitted after the ACB failed to take the matter to court on charges of corrupt practices with a public officer, obtaining money by false pretence, corrupt use of official powers, forgery and making a false warrant of money.

The report alleged that Jeffrey’s business connived with some officers from the divisional education office in Kasungu to defraud millions of public funds.

However, the court later acquitted Jeffrey and together with three others she took government to court following the actions and decisions made by the ACB and the National Audit Office (NAO).

In his ruling on Monday, judge Charles Mkandawire, dismissed all the claims by Jeffrey, who is also Nkhotakota South legislator (DPP), with costs.
Mkandawire agreed with the ACB that the acquittal did not mean that the four did not commit the crime, but it was a mere technicality.
ACB director general Reyneck Matemba said the court had dismissed all the claims of malicious imprisonment, defamat ion, loss of dependency, loss of property, breach of contract and loss of business.

Matemba has vowed that the ACB would challenge any attempt to appeal by the claimants.

The K187 million Ministry of Education scandal was exposed through an audit which revealed a breakdown in financial controls and internal check systems in the ministry.

Safuli was sentenced to two years imprisonment for aiding and abetting theft of K100 000. He was convicted together with managing director of Tapempha Building Contractors, Esther Kathumba, who got four and two years imprisonment for theft of K596 802 and attempted theft of K1 999 920, respectively, from the ministry.

Esther’s husband, Henry Kathumba, who was managing Khristu Nafe Building Contractors, was given a two-year jail term for theft of K100 000 which he collected from the ministry.

Snowden Joya, a quantity surveyor in the ministry, was sentenced to three years imprisonment for forging six certificates for completion of work for projects that were never finished.

But eight months after the convictions, the Supreme Court of Appeal set aside Safuli and Jiya’s convictions and quashed their sentences.

The court also quashed theft charges against the Kathumbas and substituted them with theft by false pretence.

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23 replies on “Court dismisses DPP’s Jeffrey K70bn compensation claim from govt”

  1. Akufuna kukwangula ndalama zonse zili mboma kuti new government finds nothing when sworn in May. Team yonse ya ma lawyer mbava zodziwika kuyambira fired Attorney General ndiye amafuna kuti agawane loot. Well done the wise Judge for denying these thieves free tax payers money.
    New government will follow up these crooks masquerading as lawyers.

  2. This corrupt woman’s and her supporters are thieves who deserve jail terms. There are pretty thieves in stinking Malawi jails who don’t deserve to be there. This big thief of so called Secretary General of DPP should be arrested in May and asked questions and be jailed by conniving with her concubine Chilumpha and accomplice to defraud Malawi treasury. Her incompetent lawyer is also a dodgy thief who should be derigistered from practise as has dodgy past history of stealing clients money.

  3. This Jeoffrey is a thief. Her group consists Muli and George Chaponda and others who will be investigated again about their corrupt practices including many Indian nationals who have been involved like Zameer Karim who is answering charges in court in dodgy millions with the police. These Asians are siphoning money from government contracts which are dodgy. UTM government is keeping an eye on Ministry of Finance and Treasury of large suspicious payments now as the current government is heading out. We shall investigate all corrupt payment involving MRA, MACRA,MERA, ESCOM,MBC will be dissolved incompletely. POLICE and ARMY large contracts in the past years that smell corrupt.

  4. this is political judgement.This lady was rich even before she started dating Chilumpha and before the contracts. so all that hard owned family properties is gone. God have mercy on this poor lady.

  5. DPP ndi kuba ayi ndithu. No shame. 70 Billion. Ana a dad kuomola pa Malawi.

    Komatu achule Abwantasi inu adpp mukutisambila pa Malawi pano. Kutiwedza ngati nsomba. If you can claim 70 Billion. OPC kutakata the only known 54 Billion. Nanga akuluakulu atapa zingati.

    This party is dirty. The money they have stolen so far Malawi could have developed.

    Just steal the whole country mugulitse

    Olo manyazi
    Just because u are the ruling party basi . Poti adad sanena kanthu. Iwo amakuikilani kumbuyo. Its just too much.

    Bodza DPP kuba zanyanya.

  6. A Pitala nd DPP mumutu mwawo amagoganiza kuti Boma alibele bwanji?. How on earth can a whole learned Lawyer allow this fraudulent action from his Party Secretary General? Thank to the objectivity of Judge Charles Mkandawire obviously akanakhala ma Judge akwawo aja amu Blue League Team our tax money could have been turned into DPP campaign money. A Ben Botolo, the ST akanalemba cheque cha compensation at supersonic speed.Koma nde A busa a Dr Chakwera mukuwapangila campaign yawulere inu a DPP ndi maganizo anu akubawa?

  7. There are so far 14 negative comments on this woman. Scientifically the number of negative comments is directly proportional to the hatred Malawians have for this thieving and foul mouthed Jezebel.

  8. It’s a shame that the lawyer representing Geoffrey was Ralph Mhone PP vice President. PP has been saying that DPP is corrupt but Mhone is defending a thief.

  9. Even the picture tell a big story. Face of a woman thief! Thieves are everywhere in the DPP government. Shameless woman.

  11. This woman was one of the cashgate instigators during Muluzi and Chilumpha regime. Chilumpha was shagging this woman and connived and facilitated the dodgy payments to school projects which never existed. She’s a con and thief and was taking advantage of the useless and corrupt and inefficient former sacked DPP attorney General a Mr Mhango who was willing to pay compensation and share the spoils had still been in the job. She has lost the case which good news to Malawians. In the first place this corrupt government of DPP should have thrown the case out. But they had hope the case would be successful with the sacked Mhango. Good riddance of a very incompetent lawyer. He did deserve the appointment of the Attorney General. There well qualified lawyers in the country than this DPP operative or so called carpet.Let him try as a member of parliament in his home district of Rumphi. He might not even make it as he is not sharp or popular there.

  13. Mbava imeneyi inatumidwa ndi mbava ya K145 million yamanga Bon Kalindo. Dziko kusowa chilungamo kumalamukidwa ndi mbava ndi atambwali. Bingu was against kusolola koma adasolola zambiri. Bakili adatokimanso. Imfa ikuchedwa kugwirapo ntchito pa mbavazi. That is the only solution. Afe basi. Anthi akufa nzipatala chifukwa chosowa mankhwala koma misonkho tikukhima daily.

  14. ASaaaaah! Zopanda mwini ndalama za aMalawi mwajayira ndithu. Ndi agulugufe omwe ma lawsuits zoona?

  15. No one can claim such an amount if they truly love this poor country of ours. As for APM, what kind of leader just sits phwiiii watching his own secretary general trying to siphon such a huge amount from account number 1? Shame all around.

  16. Is it really true that K70bn was lost? MMmmmmmmmmmmmm its a pity for Malawi always having very inconsiderate people

  19. Mama dyera takondaniko your poor Malawi all that cash for what its a shame.our learned judges and army officers are the best professionals I HV ever seen.anthu okonda dziko lawo.thank God the two institutions exist.

  20. Kumeneko nde kugamula mulandu mwachilungamo komanso mofunila dziko la Malawi za bwino……………………………………! All Glory be to God! God is in control and will take us through the crooks…………………………………………….!

  21. I thought the court would declare the a ‘thieve by public servant’ and declare her seat vacant kikikikikikikik draconia rule

    1. Kodi ku Malawiko ndalama ndi zophweka eti? Aliyense akafuna compensation, they ask for billions of kwacha! Corrupt nation! Awa mwacita bwino kuwacita dismiss cifukwa ndi akuba ndikale. Aba kale zoposa pamenepo. on top of that, they will not be in Government thi coming may so they are busy looting!

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