Ex-minister Ben Phiri arrested over fraud: ‘Umbrella, ella, ella, eh-eh-eh’
Malawi Police Service, Fiscal and Fraud Section, on Thursday in Lilongwe arrested former powerful minister in the Peter Mutharika administration, Ben Phiri in connection with investigation of fraud and money laundering, Nyasa Times understands.
Ben Phiri was being questioned in Lilongwe over sale of land and other bootleg deals.
National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said Fiscal and Fraud Section was yet to furnish him with details.
Phiri is Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) director of elections and a close ally to Mutharika.
DPP officials have complained that the new administration under the leadership of Lazarus Chakwera is planning to arrest senior members of the party and claimed it is political persecution aimed at killing the party which is now in opposition.
Few DPP members have been arrested since Chakwera came into power, but police have defended the arrests, saying those arrested had criminal cases.
Meanwhile, the 13 police officers accused of murdering Buleya Lule while in police custody last year have finally been released after spending five days in prison since their bail was granted.
The 13 were granted bail on Friday by the High Court in Lilongwe but they could not leave prison as the court had not assessed their sureties.
The court accepted sureties for the police officers on Monday but the suspects could still not walk home as the court had not finished authenticating their bail bonds, a process which took the whole day on Tuesday.
One of the lawyers in the case, Lughano Mwabutwa confirmed that the suspects spent another night in prison on Tuesday as authorities at the prison needed more time to record details of their release.
Directorate of Public Prosecutions spokesperson Pilirani Masanjala said the State is ready to prosecute the case, having worked on all necessary processes.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
APM allowing this maggot Ben Phiri, and other maggots in DPP including his former wife ugly Gertrude to loot public funds is high treason. Also APM himself also carried out massive looting which is also high treason. Punish these maggots with seizure of assets and charge everyone of them with high treason. We have the death sentence in our laws, sentence these maggots and Muluzi and his son with high treason and if found guilty use the laws.
Jerusalem akaponyedwe ku dziwe la ng’ona
Your quality work of sweeping all the corruption wizards is highly appreciated. All the fraud and theft practices must be pinned down. Please don’t forget our former president Mai Joyce Banda. Everybody knows about Cashgate scandal. It’s hard to lick something from your nose but your hand can do better. Please do something Malawians will appreciate your efforts…..
Peter Mutharika should be thrown into the same prison cell as his wife Ben Phiri. Then the 2 of them can hug and …….who knows what.
what about dausi?
We cannot allow 3 in bed. So Dausi is to be thrown into the same prison cell as Nthaba.
I remember this particular minister, Ben Phiri talking tough to District Councils and I quote.. “……..it is not business as usual….corruption must stop..” Yet he was corrupt himself. What a shame.
This maggot Ben Phiri is implicated in more corrupt practices. He should be investigated much deeper. He has lots of property how did he acquire them?
Muzimangira unyoro uja wa 110 ndi umene umaveka bwino
Ngat Ben Phiri adathandizira kugulitsa,Kaya kugulira munthu Malo aboma posasatira malamulo adziko lathu, akuyenera kufunsidwa momwe zidayendera zamalowo.Dpp members ndiwomwe amapakula ndalama zaboma,ndiye apolice adzikafunsa amalawi akumidzi zamalo womwe Ben Phiri akuziwapo kanthu.There is no persecution here, DPP was in government for 5 yrs ndiye akuyenera kufunsidwa momwe anayendetsera.
all these arrest will lead to no where they are just meant to scare away the DPP so that they should be blind while the Tonse guys are helping themselves with government treasury. You have already seen how these family ministers are travelling, those trips do not come cheap because they cost a lot of money. One minister trip cost over MK10m in fuel and allowances.
I think they should do the investigations thoroughly and only arrest when they have a water tight case, prosecute and judge one at a time…too much leads to nowhere as there is fatigue. HRDC are sharpening their mouths if nothing happens.
You think so? This is for real. Just wait and see.
A My friend,
Dziko silili mwakale. Wait and see. Siziferansk mazira
Tiuzeni zoona mmene mutulutsira za monisterial allowance. Nde mwati mmachita ka 10mills per trip??? Munafatsatu mabwana ndimadona . Tikupatseni madzi mumwe ati?
Apolice mumanyanya kukhala ngati simalakwa
Even Peter and his girl friend getrude can be arrested so who are they
dausi akumuchedwetsa bwanji…