Forum denounce ‘selective justice’: Demands progress on K92bn cashgate

Forum for National Development (FND) has slammed the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and government for what it termed as selective justice in prosecuting people who are allegedly involved in pilfering of public funds christened as cashgate.

In a statement signed by  FND chairperson Bright Kampaundi and National Coordinator Fryson Chodzi, the organization said it has noted that it is easier to prosecute people from other political parties than those aligned to the ruling  Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

“We want to see a situation where ACB and the law enforcement agents act efficiently on the K92 billion and also conclude other high profile cases of corruption which they started,” reads the statement.

FND said it has noted that other high profile cases like the K1.7 billion corruption cases involving former president Bakili Muluzi has been halted since he now has a cordial ties  with the current government and has his son Atupele serving as minister .

On the K92 billion forensic audit, FND noted that weeks are passing since the German government provided funding for a forensic audit starting from 2005-2012 and yet there is no outlined progress and the roadmap to ensuring that the audit is done.

“We want to know when the audit is expected to start and complete, what are the terms of reference for a new audit and what commitment government has put in place to follow through the K92 billion audit.

” Just as government is eager and quick to make arrests of those aligned to the Baker Tilly Forensic Audit report, they should also show the same seal and enthusiasm to conduct an audit from 2005 to
2012 without impeding on the work of the auditors so that the culprits must also face the law,” reads the statement.

It continued: “We do not want to assume that the current silence and failure to communicate on the matter as an indicator that the government is not interested to pursue this course as it was done under the current ruling party when late president Bingu wa Mutharika was CEO of
Malawi.”

FND said the current administration should no longer trivialize the K92b as a mere audit query because resources have been now provided by the German Government to institute forensic audit emphasizing the magnitude of the 2011 National Audit Office revelation of the plunder and the theft of national recourse.