CSO files lawsuit against MERA on employment of cashgate suspect

Officials from Centre for the Development of People (Cedep) say they are going to court this week to challenge the employment of Ishmael Chioko as the executive director of Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority  (Mera) because he is a cashgate suspect.

Executive director of Cedep Gift Trapence confirmed his organisation’s lawyers would be seeking the judicial interpretation on the matter.

“This shows lack of seriousness on the part of the government in the fight against corruption,” said Trapence.

Chioko is on bail after he was arrested on money laundering charges connected to the K30 billion plunder of public money at Capital Hill in Lilongwe, infamously known as cashgate.

However, Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale said there was nothing wrong in appointing Chioko as Mera director general because he is still a suspect.

“He is innocent until the court rules otherwise,” he said.

President Peter Mutharika appointed Chioko as acting director general after Ralph Kamoto who was the director general was suspended after allegedly  misusing K3 billion from Mera’s Price Stabilisation Fund with instructions from the board.

He used the money to buy 10000 metric tonnes of maize and donated it to Admarc which sold it off without the authority of Finance minister Goodall Gondwe.