K2.1 billion on Mphwiyo’s charge sheet: Malawi cashgate
Former budget director Paul Mphwiyo has been formally charged with two counts of theft and money laundering of K2.1 billion.
Mphwiyo was arrested on Saturday with his wife in connection with the infamous cashgate scandal, which led to the suspension of foreign aid to the impoverished Malawi.
Lawyer for Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Imlani Said in December last year, Mphwiyo laundered up to K2.1 billion through various businesses in Lilongwe and stole K2.1 billion worth of property of Malawi government in the same month.
Saidi pleaded with the Lilongwe Magistrate court not to release Mphwiyo as it he may interfere with investigations.
However, lawyer for Mphwiyo, Alemekezeke Mando argued that his client be granted bail because has a medical condition which worsened upon his arrest.
Magistrate Paul Chiotcha adjourned for Wednesday when he will rule on the bail application.
Top government officials siphoned billions of Malawi kwacha from the government Integrated Financial Management System (IFMIS) through payments to companies that did not supply goods and services to government departments and ministries.
Mphwiyo served as the budget director in former president Joyce Banda’s administration for one year before he was shot at his home in the capital Lilongwe.
The shooting incident on September 13 of last year opened a Pandora Box that led to revelations that civil servants were siphoning money through the IFMIS.
Following the shooting, Mphwiyo was moved by Banda’s administration to the Office of the President and Cabinet.
Last month, Mphwiyo testified in court against former Justice Minister Ralph Kasambala and others.
So far, the ACB has secured two convictions in the ongoing cashgate trials.
On Friday, a former accounts assistant in government Victor Sithole, 27, was found guilty of possessing stolen cash.
Early this month, a former tourism official Tresa Namathanga Senzani was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison in connection with the cashgate scandal.
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These people ought to be hanged by any means necessary. why are they being allowed to walk our streets? How can the government justify setting thieves like Phwiyo free on bail? I hope some Malawians will take the law in their own hands and t res around his neck!!
Simple theft and Money laundering again? Why are we not lrarning from mistakes from the Senzani case..or is it by design?
Anthuwa Ndiwodzikonda Amafuna Zonse Zikhale Zawo Koma Civil Servants Akati Tikwezereni Salary Ndi Maperesenti Abwino Mkumakana Ndalama Tilibe Pomwe Akuchalira Zipite Kumakampani Awo.
This country can not grow. Think about the poor who are suffering. So sad!
They are wiping out PP in the name of cash gate and yet they have thieves in DPP. The K92 billion was not mentioned for nothing. The mansions we see in Lilongwe started mushrooming during Bingu’s time. They want to make themselves the only party in the southern region knowing that Ung’onoung’ono will never come back watha ngati nsalu ya makatani.
and dunderheads in parliament’s pac were busy clapping hands for this mphwiyo thug, amayi busy protecting him saying he was sealing loopholes, koma pa nyasalande, aahhh. watchout, this idiot will also be mentioned in the 2009 – 2012 audit, i do not doubt it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So the can of worms has finally been opened. While this is a welcome development that high profile people are being nabbed the challenge is how to successfully prosecute them because right now money is changing hands between lawyers and judges behind closed doors to ensure that the cases are faltered. Our judicial officers are corrupt and this is their time to make cash. The ACB should go beyond 2004 corruption started. The case of Atcheya has dragged so much and now that he is fine and busy doing government functions let the courts finish his case before proceeding with… Read more »
I find no reason why they recruiting the Head of ACB because Matemba is already doing a good job since the removal of the then head of ACB. The president should just promote Matemba to head ACB so that his efforts to deal with cashgaters are not stifled.
All the companies that got paid for supplying nothing must be made to supply those things and then told to return the money as well
As patriotic Malaians we should be angry, very, very angry! The problem is how do we make the ones in government accountable? If PP was still in government Mphwiyo would have been untouchable, now he can easily be dragged to court, his protectors are out of government! The million dollar question is NOT how to catch thieves from previous governments but how to catch the ones stealing now otr who stole before but are now ruling? Once we can do that then we will prevent fraudsters parading as government offcials from stealing our hard earned tax payers money. Veriry ,… Read more »