Lutepo gets 11 years jail for Malawi cashgate

High Court Judge Redson Kapindu from Zomba Registry has sentenced up to 11 years imprisonment chief cashgate convict Oswald Lutepo.

Lutepo, who was convicted on his own plea of guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud government and money laundering, looked grumpy after the sentence was handed down to him.

The convict,  who has been using a wheelchair since December last year, addressed reporters in court before his sentence was passed, still implicating former president Joyce Banda (JB) , claiming the former president used him to siphon K4.2 billion kwacha from public coffers.

Lutepo, 37, was already a billionaire when he joined People’s Party (PP) in 2013 as director of recruitment. He previously was member of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) where he made most of his fortune including buying Naming’omba Tea Estate.

He addressed a news conference like a VIP that he has no criminal mind and that cashgate crimes was political.

“Joyce Banda used me. She knows how she used me,” claimed Lutepo to reporters.

In a prepared message to reporters, Lutepo who was with his relatives, well-wishers, police officers and his lawyer Oswald Mtupila said JB should know that “love is more important than anything else. Using someone is a sign of lack of love,”

Lutepo was still adamant , claiming he is “ a good role model to the youths.”

He said: “ I was able to contribute to the country’s development by offering employment. I did not get rich because of cashgate, I had businesses before.”

Without shame, the cashgate prisoner said: “I insist, my conscious is clear that I didn’t steal from government. How could I get hold of government money on my own? The money was  for them,”

Lutepo has since pledged to fight for minority rights in prison including homosexuality.