Katengeza jailed 5 years for K105mil cashgate case
Lilongwe High Court has Tuesday sentenced cashgate convict Angella Katengeza to five years imprisonment over the role in the K105.9 million (about $157 000) laundered from the government coffers.
Katengeza was charged alongside former assistant director of tourism, Leonard Kalonga, for conspiring to use the former’s Faith Construction Company to defraud government.
High Court judge Fiona Mwale found Katengeza guilty of theft and money laundering in the fraud scam christened as cashgate, which was the biggest financial scandal in Malawi’s history and helped push former president Joyce Banda out of power in 2014 elections.
Kalonga is also waiting for his sentence.
“The convict will serve a total of five years in prison,” Judge Mwale said.
Defence lawyer Gilbert Khonyongwa who has asked the court to consider handing his client a non-custodial sentence, said he will discuss with the convict on whether to appeal or not.
State prosecutor and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) deputy director general Reyneck Matemba welcomed the custodial sentence.
Matemba said theft and money laundering are among serious offences (felony) in the country and deserve custodial sentences in all circumstances.
The scandal, which originated in 2005, prompted foreign donors — who provide around 40 percent of Malawi’s budget — to pull the plug on aid worth around $150 million.
An audit ordered by Banda found that $30 million had been looted by officials in less than six months in 2013.
Dozens of civil servants, business people and politicians have been implicated in the scam.
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We need lawyers and judges who are poor to handle these cases
Is it true that when one steals huge sums of money he gets a short term sentence so that he ploughs back the money into circulation? Anyamata ochita law pa Chilunga, did one Edge tell you this? On another note, Is Angella married? If she is married, won’t the prison warders and nyapalas not tamper with her ujeni?
ha ha Reyneck Matemba Malawi Chief Cash gate prosecutor angozula tima lighter sentences, tima recusal milandu kusokonekela ndi ma judge ake corruption ndi kuba sikuzatha pa Malawi. This is a huge motivating factor to steal
Five years is not enough for this mama plzzzzzz….. were are in shit coz of these bustard pple
STEALING A GOAT =6 YEARS ,STEALING MK105 MILLION =5 YEARS
LONG LIVE CASH GATE.APA NDIYE PUBLIC FUNDS ZABOOKA.TIBE ZIMENEZI .KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Angela Katengeza muoneko life ina, life ya millionaire wakhalapo pano mukhalaenso life ya ukaidi.
Koma anthu ali pachithunziwo ndiye ndiwokwiyatu! True Cashgate Gangsters!
Yonse boo! Unya nayo mayi wakuba iwe. Ndalama zakuba zomwezo mpaka mwana wako kukwatira nazo mzungu!
5 years is not enough. If Malawi is serious about stopping such kind of looting heavy sentences should be made to anyone stealing from the govt purse.
5yrs ngat mulandu oba nkhuku????