Fiscal police to quiz Mutharika over cement deal
Former president Peter Mutharika has been earmarked to be summoned for interrogation in connection with K5 billion (about $7 million ) cement imported from Zambia and Zimbabwe duty-free under “personal use” provision in the Presidents (Salaries and Benefits) Act when he was in power but was being sold by business persons.
Fiscal Police are interested to question Mutharika on the matter.
Mutharika’s personal secretary Linda Salanjira issued the statement Friday in which he seems to suggest being a victim of identity fraud in the scandal in which his personal bodyguard, Norman Chisale, was arrested for.
Chisale remains security aide of Mutharika during his retirement.
“The former president neither bought nor instructed anyone to buy or import the cement in question…further, the former president was never at any point undertaking construction project(s) requiring such substantial volumes of cement,” reads the statement in part.
Mutharika statement is in sharp contrast to what was communicated through his spokesperson then Mgeme Kalilani, when he was in power, that he was within the law as the goods imported were for personal use.
National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said that more people were being interviewed on the matter.
Law expert and activist Justin Dzonzi said Mutharika’s public denial of his involvement is nothing and he will have to explain what he knows on recorded statement with the law enforcers.
“Police will also deal with the matter depending on what they have as evidence and what they’re getting from people they’re interviewing. Most likely police would be interested to hear from him,” Dzonzi said in quotes reported by Nation on Sunday.
Human Rights Defenders Coalition chairperson Gift Trapence also told the paper that Mutharika’s statement does not in any way exonerate him from the allegations.
“I’m sure authorities would give him an opportunity to explain his role in the matter. There is no way they cannot have him to explain. That public statement distancing himself from the matter is not enough to clear his name,” Trapence said.
Malawi News columnist George Kasakula wrote: ‘Mutharika has a story to tell Malawians on the matter other than boring them to death with Facebook posts about meeting Eastern Region DPP officials at his villa in Mangochi and talking about leading DPP back to power in 2025 for a man that has just celebrated 80 years of age.”
The columnist also calls for “a fair tax system not abused by those connected to power like it happened in the DPP cruel regime.’’
Apart from Chisale, police arrested Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) former deputy commissioner Roza Mbilizi in connection with the same cement deal. She is on court bail.
The law enforcers also arrested businessperson Shaffe Ahmed Chunara, owner of Prestige Imports and Exports, in connection with the importation of the same cement.
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Munthalika is a thief,he was doing business yomabera amalawi.These mwenyezi they know how Africans think, they give money to ruling parties in the name of donations so that asamalipire misonkho.Look at K145 million police ration case.Munthalika as president benefited from it.Now this he benefits as a business partner,shit.
Everyone should be paying taxes in Malawi on anything taxable. I mean everyone. Our president must not be excluded from paying these taxes. We cannot have poor people in rural areas paying taxes while our president can import stuff for free. This has to stop. A new law needs to be passed very soon to fix this. We need to change all laws that favour the rich and powerful people. We need laws that are favourable for everyone. We choose a president so that he/she can lead us to prosperity, not that he/she should get free stuff. People choose to… Read more »
Presidents already get free food, free houses, free medical attention, free water & electricity bills, free everything. Indeed why omusankhafe, olirafe ndiye tidzilipiranso punitive taxes. M’chewa ndi Mtonga apa ndiye agwiridzana kkkkkkkkkk
Am smelling a rat, why is it that Mr Mutharika distanced himself from the matter before a quiz? That wakes my conscience that he is afraid.
Mgeme Kalirani commented that this deal was in order and within the president’s benefit while APM was in power. Unless the ex-president APM now tells the nation that Mgeme amangonenanso za yekha.
A new organisation to oversee duty free imports and verify who has applied for duty free is well overdue. Any such purchases have to go through auditors and ACB or fiscal police for questions and comments.
Be quizzed!
Just wasting tym here nothing will happen
APM should also explain why he gave Atupele Muluzi a police convoy and should give back all the fuel and allowances the police escorting the son of the most wanted thief Bakili Muluzi. He has to explain why his step son became a thief. How Mukhito bought top of the range vehicles and how he cleared them. Do it fast because APM has very short life left.
What more do you need he already stated that he never ordered the cement and his account does not show any transaction paying Zimbwabwe or Zambia. The police should question Mukhitho because he is the one who authored a letter to MRA. I am not sure the precedure at state house whether the chief of staff just makes decisions without being moved by the principal.
Good move to uncover who was doing this
Net has finally closed in on this old fool. Welcome to the world of real justice. Prison, here nkhalamba comes.
Have thought about why Mbilizi who cleared the cement was released by police. Chakwera and Chilima are crooked and hypocritical thugs who benefited from government stolen money. They will keep fooling gullible people about these cases just to keep you in the loop – so that you don’t question any of their failures.