Magalasi, ‘Cash-Madam’, 2 others charged with criminal offences: Court reserves bail ruling
Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) chief executive officer Collins Magalasi, entrepreneur and socialite Dorothy Shonga aka ‘Cash –Madam’ together with two other employees at Mera appeared before Lilongwe Magistrate Court on Wednesday where they were formally charged with three criminal offence after their arrest.
The State told the court that the suspects were brought in the court to be told on why he is being kept under custody according to section 161 of the constitution.
Magalasi, Shonga, Mera communications officer Patrick Maulidi and Bright Mbewe from Mera’s procurement department have been charged with charged with fraud, money laundering and entering into procurement with an employee, contrary to public procurement Act.
Particulars of the crime indicate that the three, in August 2019, induced the Internal Procurement and Disposal Committee at Mera to approve procurement of various items worth K107 million through Vink Enterprise, a company belonging to Shonga who is a business partner to Magalasi.
According to the particulars of the crime, in August 2019, Magalasi induced the Internal Procurement and Disposal Committee at Mera to approve procurement of various items worth K107 million though Vink Enterprise, a company belonging to Shonga who is Magalasi’s business partner and girlfriend.
Magalasi and ‘Cash-Madam’ also have a joint company which people believe swindled MRA billions of money.
The suspects through their lawyers applied for bail arguing that just like any other suspected criminals who are presumed innocent until an honourable court proves otherwise, they deserves to be granted bail.
The prosecutors vehemently objected to the bail application.
Lilongwe chief resident magistrate Violet Chipao has reserved to Friday July 31 2020 the court’s ruling on whether or not the suspects should be released on bail.
The arrest of Mera officials has come amid a wave of arrests of public officers since the Tonse Alliance administration led by President Lazarus Chakwera came into power following their triumph in the court-sanctioned June 23 fresh presidential election.
Chakwera, who paired UTM Party president and the then country’s estranged Vice-president Saulos Chilima in the presidential ticket, campaigned on a platform of fighting corruption, impunity and abuse of public resources.
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Cash Madam…my foot!!
Ndoma Zake zimenezo shaaaa!!!!!! mbavadi kuvalira ma suti ndoma
Good job so far. But more still needs to be done. Some of these include: ..K1.7 billion case of former president ..Jet gate ..cash gate ..tractor gate ..reopening of maize gate. ..the killings of people living with albinism. Need for comprehensive probe ..K577 bn case ..K92 bn case ..abuse of funds in embassies ..the 13 files case ..the torching of escom house ..torching of ministry of agriculture ..murder case of chasowa ..Roza Mbilizi appears to be shielded by some powerful Tonse Alliance leaders. Those shady leaders should be known and brought to account ..land gate at Ministry of Lands ..too… Read more »
Ba Chair, Ba Bishop, tiuzeniko chabe zoona. Kodi muziwapo chiyani pakhani iyi ya ku MERA man of God?
By the way, who is the chairperson for MERA? What has this chair said so far? Zisakhalenso ngati za MACRA kuti nayenso amamupakulira ndiye watseka pakamwa. Ntchito iripo, bambo Chilima, chotsani kaye zoipa ndiye mumanga dzikoli. Osawamvera omwe akuti chitukuko’wa panopa ayi. Tifike December 2020 tikuchotsa zimbalangondo m’malo onse muyike chitukuko kuopa kuononganso.
Paja mlandu uwu wa fraud ndi zaka zingati mundende?
Colins wakale uja is a good man.
There is something funny about name of companies that get involved in crooked big deals..they always have dubious names hihihihi..company physical address, no phone number koma umva yapaza 1billion kwacha contract..
Dpp will be regarded as the worst and corrupt party in our history. Spare no one lock them up and milk them dry. Let them see what pure leadership means. They must test their own medicine. Soon am going back home since there is leadership now.
How come the Board Chair of MERA is not answering a case of ‘negligence of duty?????’