K2.4bn cashgate suspects Limumba Karim, Sympathy Chisale risk bail revocation
Businessman Limumba Karima, his co-accused Sympathy Chisale failed to appear in High Court on Wednesday in the K2.4 billion money laundering case in which former Ministry of Finance budget director Paul Mphwiyo is among the accused.
Lumumba and Chisale were wanted in court to plead to counts of money laundering in which 18 civil servants and contractors are accused of defrauding government of K2.4 billion through theft and money laundering.
The suspects were first expected in court on Tuesday, but did not turn up, and were no show again Wednesday.
Director of Public Prosecution, Mary Kachale told the court that her office has noted the absence of suspects Chisale and Karim respectively for the second day and demanded an explainatjons from their lawyers .
A team of lawyers representing the suspects said the two were out of the country.
Lawyer Gift Khonyongwa told the court that his client, Chisale is in Mozambique and is set to return back home.
According to Khonyongwa, Chisale traveled to Mozambique to repatriate his truck which was involved in an accident and the driver was in unreliable state to drive the vehicle as it had to be towed.
He told the court that his client had assured him to be back by Monday but failed to security concerns in Mozambique as he had to wait for police escort . He was very apologetic for not appearing in court and prayed to the court not to revoke his bail conditions.
Lawyer representting, 1Limumba Karim, Wapona Kita told the court that his client is currently in South Africa for medical treatment.
Kita said Karima was born Asthmatic and his condition worsened a week ago and he was rushed for mediicaal attention in South Africa.
He the court that Karim was set to return home by Monday but that his conditions worsened as such he couldn’t make it.
Lumumba was seen in a video clip posted on social media poking fun at Malawians citizens iving in extreme poverty.
While agreeing with Khonyongwa plea, top prosecutor Kachale disagreed with Kita, saying the court can’t believe the allegations without proper medical reports which she said was supposed to be tendered in court as evidence asking for local medical report that necessitated the referral to South Africa.
But Kita challenged the state to make enquiries to Limumba’s personal doctor, Doctor Kalambo who has been treating him from way back and knows his Asthmatic conditions.
In her determination, judge Esmie Chombo ordered that Karim should bring his medical reports both from Malawi doctor and South Africa hospital at the next court session failing which it shall necessitate for state to apply for his bail revocation.
Karim and Chisale are facing charges alongside Mphiyo and others, including civil servants such as former Accountant General David Kandoje, Auzius Kazombo Mwale, Clemence Mmadzi and Roosevelt Ndovi. The list of suspects also includes contractors.
Others are George Banda, Michael Mphatso, Samuel Mzanda and convict Maxwell Namata who are facing charges of fraud, negligence by public office, money laundering, theft by public servant, theft by servant and conspiracy to defraud government funds amounting to K2 446 817 450.49.
Also charged is an expert in information technology (IT) Steve Likhunya Phiri . Others are Stafford Mpoola, Andrew Patrick Chilalika, Fatch Chungano, Cecilia Mervis Ng’ambi, Gerald Magaleta Phiri and Ndaona Satema.
The High Court operated from an improvised courtroom in the Lilongwe City Council Chamber following an earlier concern that the courtrooms at the court complex in Lilongwe did not have enough space to comfortably accommodate the accused persons, their lawyers and well-wishers.
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Thanks for the photos of the thieves Mr reporter! Take more so we can attach the names of all the thieves to their faces. Shame!
The way judicial system work in Malawi is no low that it is a shame to the World. These thieves are playing the court which is so Un qualified. How long is this money laundering cases go on? Until next elections? DDP will rigg votes to avoid being procution from the new government. Why cant u just lay down the cases and ask all of them to give some of the money they stole to instore elektricity and seal all holes of money laundering which is still going on in order to get back donors. These cases are worst of… Read more »
Thus is a mockery of the justice system.!!!! Every one knows they’re lying. I have information to help get these thieves to book. Contact me. That boy limumba karim is not sick. He uses the name karim cazal. He swindled money and now he moved to south Africa. Mkazi wake uja tikumukhwakhwa to pay back for our taxes.
The lawyer is lying. Limumba Karim has been in South Africa since July and I met him last week in jozi. Alive and well Akumwanso mowa. His friend with mwana wa honorable Jean Kalilani Taygrin. Check his Facebook if you think I’m lying
How are these crooks even allowed to leave the country as they wish. They even have the audacity to taunt the justice system on social media? Shouldn’t they surrender their passports and report regularly to the police? Someone needs to do something about this. It’s funny how they are able to find lame excuses. Are we made to believe that there are no doctors in Malawi who can manage asthma? It’s ridiculous!!! Would you be surprised if some of these ended up disappearing? Just a reminder, analipo anzanu who thought they were above the law. Pano they are languishing in… Read more »
Waste of time and resources. If they were on remand, the cases would be concluded sooner than later. They are trying to siphon the stolen money out side Malawi to foreign banks. State watch out!