Govt still waits court order in Germany to recover K750m duped funds for AIP

Government says it is still waiting for a court order in Germany to recover K750 million that was lost in a dubious fertilizer procurement deal.

Former Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe was fired last year after K750 million was paid to Barkaat Foods Limited, a UK based company, for the procurement of fertilizer under the Affordable Inputs Programme.

The country has managed to recover about K187.7 million of the duped funds, according to Richard Chikunkhuzeni, Chief Executive Officer for Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi.

 Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda said currently authorities are awaiting a court order in Germany on an application it made to have the funds that were deposited in a bank in that country confiscated.

According to Nyirenda, owners of the bank account are yet to appear before the court to have their side heard.

However, Nyirenda has assured the general public of government’s commitment towards the recovery of the funds.