Ex-minister Ben Phiri arrested over fraud: ‘Umbrella, ella, ella, eh-eh-eh’

August 6, 2020 Wanga Gwede - Nyasa Times 85 Comments

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:  Under arrest

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.

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85 replies on “Ex-minister Ben Phiri arrested over fraud: ‘Umbrella, ella, ella, eh-eh-eh’”

  1. 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.

  3. 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…..

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

    1. 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?

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

    1. 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.

    4. Tiuzeni zoona mmene mutulutsira za monisterial allowance. Nde mwati mmachita ka 10mills per trip??? Munafatsatu mabwana ndimadona . Tikupatseni madzi mumwe ati?

    1. What we need most is what they promised us like universal fertiliser , 1 mita jobs , free water connection and electricity we need progress on these too.

      1. Komabe sizingatheke in 4weeks. But arresting wrong does needs no much money as compared to the issues you have refered. Whilest am also concerned if these arrest really will lead to anything, I still pray all the Dpp goats get arrested especially those in wrong doing. Awawa a Ben Phiriwa nde musamangoti ku lilongwe even in BT we know lots of lands he has sold to amwenye especially on bribe. But since our voice is too faint we pray God’s wrath meet them.

  14. What DPP needs to understand is that being a senior member or a member of DPP does not provide you with immunity of any kind if you were involved in some shady activities/transaction, a crime is a crime so stop this witch-hunting nonsense. Ngati munaba you are suppossed to be answerable to Malawians and the court of law PERIOD!

  15. Yes if senior members of DPP were involved in ANY criminal act they will be arrested……. it’s as simple as that!

    1. Abale: zonse mukukamba nzoona ndithu. Koma chimodzi, mukumbuke kuti m’khalidwe wankhanza popanda chifukwa, udzakubwelerani inu nomwe. M’saiwale mbambadi…

  16. Hallelujah !

    Chilungamo chikuyenda ngati madzi at last.

    Ben Phiri has been shockingly and nauseatingly enriching himself with money and resources stolen from the government over the past years.

    He even had the audacity to boast about his stolen fortunes.

    Next will be a ‘Namaseko’. Awulaweko unyoro posachedwapa.

  18. You mean Ben Phiri – the one also known by the name Mrs Peter Mutharika? A thief he needs to go to jail and stolen money recovered

  21. This is not political at all. Our country was lawless now the government is doing its job innocent people were robbed off their monies. Uyu ndi Roza mbilizi ndiye mbava zenizeni. By the way why is Roza not on trial?

    1. Roza Mbilizi akudwala COVID-19, her Husband ( Francis Mbiliizi) died last week with COVID-19. Akumudikira kuti achire kaye after quarantine

  22. Selective justice. Pure and simple. Injustice for one is an injustice for all. If Chakwera is serious about fighting corruption, then he should arrest and prosecute all Cashgaters. We are not blind to his shenanigans of fighting DPP through the courts. What about the Msundwe brigade that killed Imedi? We are not blind, maybe his followers are, but not us. Chakwera is a very bitter man, a crocodile, wicked to the core. Soon and very soon, we will have more Malawians in prisons than in the streets.

    1. You are wicked you don’t wish your country well am sure you benefited from this looting how can you utter such nonsense you cashgater the government will arrest all who looted.

  24. Excuse me, this story did not say anything as to what case Ben Phiri is answering. Money laundering and issues to do with fraud, Serious? I would expect to read a count of specific wrong doing in nature. By the way, the police can benefit from my simple advice: At this rate, you smack less of professionalism and therefore, the public trust which was lost in the past regimes may not be gained but more disdain towards the police will surely take toll. Lazarus, mind what is happening. The people would not want Malawi to become a police state. If Ben Phiri comited a crime, stop this hide and seek games. Name the crime and let the people follow through with sober minds

  28. Um. That’s how a media outlet becomes a amateur and mediocre, by throwing in pop references in articles, especially in titles.

  29. Kumutenga dala weekend kuti azunzike kugona mu cell. Kuchita kupangila plan yozunzira munthu wamoyo mhmmmm! Moyo woipa tikuchitawu ndithu abale anga. We should all fear for the day of our death as God will punish us individually for all the sins tikupanga padziko pano.

    1. Mwaiwala dala kuti Ben Phiri ndi amene amachita za usatana kwambiri? Mukufuna aMalawi akhululukire mfiti? Mxiii!!

  34. the former regime took mwians for granted. mumatiendetsa coseta. threatening mwians right left and central.was like your homes.
    NDIZAWANYENYANYENYA
    NDISAWASOKONEZA
    NDIZAWAONETSA NYEKHWE.
    YAH RIGHT.
    We are talk8ng of a so called leader opening his mouth and letting the children hear this. what sort of a parent is this? can we say he has been a parent with kids of his own from conception or kids from the quicky deals?????
    this is peter whom we
    1. Gave him his first meal on the table from the US where no history say anything of him than us glorifying him.
    2 his late bro gave him a ministerial position as if none here was that qualified enough to take that seat. Minister of Education.

    3. He rigged the votes and claimed himself a winner and killed that one who announced the ”winning” to hide evidence ”Al Jazeera ”showed the guy was nervous to announce the lie.
    4. lately he is found in a saga of cement
    RBM money laundering with that governor Kabambe. They have been glorified like 2nd God. please freeze the accounts in the UK i mean anything abroad.
    5. So he will have a state funeral and spend more on this lazy OLD BASTARD COW.

    Now we got the ben phiri wirh wealth accumulated within 3 years in the so called SYSTEM.

  42. If they did something wrong to this nation they deserve kumangidwa basi.Tonse Alliance government keep the Fire Burning

  43. Yeretsani chipani cha DPP kuti chibadwenso mwatsopano. Mbava zonse ku ndende. Tizachivoteranso mu 2025.

  44. Ndipo ine ndanenatu dzulo kuti ndikukalowa chokolo akangommanga Ben Phiri. Pozatuluka azapeze mwana ali ku Secondary. Iyeyu zamukanika tigwira ntchito ndiife

    1. Kodi anthu enanu simudziwa kuti munthu amamumanga ndikumuuza why they have arrested him or her , release them on bail then set a date for mulandu kukhoti? Adzamangidwabe musakayike

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