Is gov’t serious to allow Finance Bank re-open in Malawi?

It is incredible that the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has granted a banking license to Finance Bank (FB) to resume its operations in Malawi after its license was revoked in 2005 after being involved in serious malpractices and flouting banking procedures.

Mahtani. Chairman of Finance Ban;: Licence granted last year after meeting with Goodall Gondwe in Lilongwe
Mahtani. Chairman of Finance BanK: Licence granted last year after meeting with Goodall Gondwe in Lilongwe

In its 2005 report, RBM unequivocally documents its reasons why it revoked Finance Bank license. Among the serious criminal activities that Finance Bank was involved in include opening ghost accounts which were used as conduit to externalize scarce foreign exchange to Pakistan, failure to comply with the Banking Act and Exchange Control Regulations and money laundering activities. For example, more than 3,000 accounts were opened and closed on the same day, and more than 4,000 accounts were opened and closed within one month. Another shocking example relates to 75 accounts that were opened in Lilongwe Branch, but were all operated by one person of Asian origin.

A forensic audit by KPMG, a highly-reputable worldwide auditing firm, found that “44,054 instances of the transactions occurring on the same days of matching values, with a high number of the foreign exchange transactions being directed toward a group of banks owned by the Pakistan-headquartered Habib Bank”.

RBM further noted in its report that these illegal activities started way back in 1999. “From 1999, FBM Limited repeatedly engaged in practices which violated the Malawi banking laws, the Exchange Control Regulations, directives and guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of Malawi. FBM was on several occasions warned by the Reserve Bank about banking malpractices and was advised to change but did not despite several warnings”FM was also under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau for its shady deals.

The current government and RBM administration should have upheld the decision taken against FM. The previous RBM administration, under Governor Victor Mbewe and General Manager Neil Nyirongo, did excellent work to unearth shady dealing of FM. The decision to close FB was taken to preserve the integrity of the banking sector and to uphold relevant statutes. The criminal activities that FB was involved in should have landed some of its officials in jail. But government was lenient with them. What has changed for FM for to be re-registered?

The government through the Minister of Finance Goodall Gondweand RBM Governor Charles Chuka owe Malawians an explanation why they have allowed Finance Bank to re-open. Allowing such a dishonest bank with an appalling track record of criminal activities to re-open renders people who make decisions to speculation that they have been palm-oiled.

Speculation heightens when media reports filter through that FB chairperson RajanMahtani, who has been in trouble with the Zambian authorities overmalpractices and corruption allegations, made several visits to Malawi after the death of BinguwaMutharika to meet government officials including the then president Joyce Banda and minister Goodall Gondwe.

Certainly, Finance Bank (whether it is trading under a news name) does not deserve to re-open in Malawi. The re-opening of Finance Bank will undermine the ability of institutions like the Anti-Corruption Bureau to fight corruption. It would be difficult for ACB to investigate such as a bank because it has the backing of the powers that be. Its reopening shows it is untouchable!

Secondly, it is also doubtful whether RBM would be as professional and dutiful as the previous RBM management under Mbewe and Nyirongo to takestern action against FB should it lapse into money laundering and criminal activities. The failure of RBM to detect money laundering activities and embezzlement of government funds in cashgate scandal gives little hope that it would work in the interest of the nation.

No patriotic Malawian should open an account with this bank. It needs to be boycotted. Why allow a foreign bank that has been stealing our forex, violated our Exchange Control Regulations and Banking Act to resume operations. Do you think a Malawian bank operating in Zambia would be allowed to resume its operations if it was closed for criminal activities?

In Zambia, it is illegal for someone who has been banned and stripped of their banking license in another country to operate a bank. Why are Malawian authorities letting its people down?And why should FB come back to Malawi? Why not open a branch in Zimbabwe, Botswana or Namibia? Through background and credibility checks, Mahtan knows that his bank cannot not be allowed to be registered in these countries. But he also knows that it is only in Malawi where leaders are easily manipulated because they accept anything (perhaps because of poverty) even from institutions involved in criminal activities as long as they are promised something in return. This is the worst decision RBM and government have made relating to the banking sector.

Malawians can read an abridged 2005RBMreport on Finance Bank illegal activities on the links below:

http://zambiareports.com/2014/06/17/malawi-ban-finance-bank-operating-illegally/

http://www.faceofmalawi.com/2012/11/finance-bank-re-opening-in-malawi-hangs-in-balance-due-to-past-money-laundering-record/

  • Lowani Mtonga is former national director of MISA (Malawi Chapter). He holds an MA in Journalism and Media Studies.

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RBMCORRUPT
RBMCORRUPT
9 years ago

FINANCE BANK OF MALWI, SOUTH AFRICAN BANK ,FDH BANK ,NBS BANK AND MALAWI SAVINGS BANK NEED TO BE CAREFULLY SCRUTINIZED BY NOT RBM BUT GOVERNMENT OF MALAWI. FOR ON THIS DATE I HAVE SPOKEN.

ben
ben
9 years ago

How can RBM issue a licence to bank which did not perform the teh stipulated laws, it should be banned

Thitherward Wendo
Thitherward Wendo
9 years ago

FB don’t need to pay bribes any more. They have evidence of the bribe-taking ten years ago, and all they do now is threaten to expose this historical corruption.

It is much cheaper to blackmail than to bribe.

gaba
gaba
9 years ago

mbala ukooooo!

Mphongo Zidana
Mphongo Zidana
9 years ago

I would like to agree with those advocating for a boycott of this bank. I remember one of my friends how he struggled to have his money back when this bank was closed following malapractices. Will our leaders ever be patriotic?

MORE BLESSINGS
MORE BLESSINGS
9 years ago

GOD help us is this not a conduit for terrorist funding?our forex ayimalizanso mwina ndizogwirizana ndi boma kuti azitulutsa ndalama zanthu thru this bloody bank.why?why?why?this bank again in our Malawi.A mabungwe arrange zomatcha and have this bank closed or else!

Tengupenya
Tengupenya
9 years ago

Daggers drawn. Who will throw the first punch? Clearly the bank is. to to serve Malawians. So a boycott will have little or no effect at all. Need something in addition.

mgwadu
9 years ago

They want to steal money through this bank and don’t forget that those share holders like faizal abu of pacific and zubeya of OG issa are the main sponsers of DDP, and ndi mbava zakale milandu ina ija ku court mpaka pano ma file anasowa

Mtchona wopanda mano
Mtchona wopanda mano
9 years ago

Ziko wanu, ndalama wathu. Wina wachikulire wadyapo apa.

Bomanile
Bomanile
9 years ago

NT, please re-open comments for any contribution by other writers but just ensure such comments appear under the correct article being commented on, instead of appearing as another full comment where it does not make sence.

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