Malawi Cashgate prisoner Lutepo tells MIJ ‘ President Mutharika should release me from jail’
Businessperson-cum-politician Osward Lutepo who is serving a prison sentence after being convicted as a major figure in the “Cashgate” scandal, which led to several donor countries cutting their contributions to the government, is seeking pardon from President Peter Mutharika to release him from jail after serving three years of his 11-year sentence, according to an interview he game Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) radio.
Lutepo who was a high-ranking official of the then governing People’s Party (PP) and donated vehicles to the party, is asking Mutharika to pardon him as part of this year’s Independence Celebrations on July 6.
“I am pleading with President Peter Mutharika to pardon me because he is the only person who has the authority [to do so] so that I can receive the full medical attention [I deserve]. My health is not well and my conduct has proved to be good,” said Lutepo Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) FM’s Tidakalipo Programme—a weekly prison magazine series.
He added: “God forgives without looking at who did what. So, forgiveness should not be conditional.”
Lutepo told the radio that he has demonstrated good conduct while serving his sentence. He also said his health condition qualifies him for pardon.
Zomba-based High Court Judge Redson Kapindu sentenced Lutepo to a total of 11 years in prison, eight for money laundering and three for conspiracy to defraud the government.
Cashgate is the biggest financial scandal in Malawi’s history and helped push former president Joyce Banda out of power. Lutepo mentioned Banda as a beneficiary of the looting, claiming it was State organised scheme where government officials allegedly exploited a loophole in a computer-based information storage system to divert up to $250 million from government coffers.
Donor countries were outraged and withheld $150 million of aid which contributed to 40 percent of Malawi’s annual budget is.
Prior to the sentencing, Lutepo addressed the media and said he had been just a minor player in Cashgate, and he urged others to confess their wrongdoings. He said Joyce Banda had used him to plunder state resources.
Banda was president of Malawi from April 2012 to May 2014 and was the southern African country’s first female president.
Ena anaba Mbuzi imodzi they served their sentence, iwe unaba ma billion, lots of lives are still suffering up to now because of you,
I always laugh when people say lutepo was successful. You don’t know him and the ways that got him money. Dig him from his days from mwanza . He has been a crook . As much as he pleads for mercy now he should also know that there are people in jail who has no voice and who deserve to be released than him.Sadly Malawi journalists entertain him too much
Nonse mukuti mulutse simungstsogolere anthu. This man took millions in a corrupt way, heI must in be prison till 11 years finish, we are serious to deal with corruption.let him die in prison or serve half of 11 currently the country is facing with big problems of. Him. Akhale konko, ena akukhala bwanji osauka. Akhale konko
The man Lutepo is unwell. The man Lutepo already apologized to Malawians. The man Lutepo revealed that JB was the main beneficiary and was used as a conduit by JB. The man Lutepo revealed that JB anamutumapo kukapeleka bandulo kwa abusa opuma Ku konveshioni ya MCP. The man Lutepo knows that others were released on bail on similar and related offenses. It’s only fair to consider his request favorably. Odya zake alibe mulandu. JB ndi abusa anadya ndalama za cashgate osati zawo, choncho anthu amenewa ali ndi mulandu. Of course we heard JB akunena kuti ‘munthu akaba ndikukugawira iwe sunabe… Read more »
Akuba ambili ogwidwa ochepa ovomeleza Lutepo opepesa lutepo winankumatukwana ine nso ndikuti matako anu nonse mukutukwana Lutepo that’s war against Kasungu fotseki zanu tatopa nanu kutinenela munthu wathu mapazi anu nonse we are failing to move forward because of evil and ungodly and unforgiving lunatics and idiots like you
Free Lutepo onena Lutepo onse mbuzi
Ndendeuli idiot ndiwe yo go to he’ll mfiti Malawi needs forgiving hearts that’s why we are warm hearted you are the one who is cold hearted amalemba ma cheque ndi Lutepo? In fact enanu ndinu agalu not Lutepo you should know that he deserves mercy
Musawone ngati a Malawi ndi opusa mukumuyipitsabe Lutepo kuti mupindule chani free Lutepo
I get surprised people hate honest people he accepted wronging malawians he apologised and you clap hands for those who refuse yet they did he paid back and you clap hands for those who will never pay back he is serving a sentence and you clap hands for those who will never taste prison yet they stole your money
What kind of justice is this ?
From what I know Lutepo revealed the culprits the information is with the judge in Zomba so if you hate him just be open dziko limadana ndi chilungamo anakuuzani kuti ndalama zomwe zinadutsa ku account ya Lutepo zinali za mankhwala ndi ndani ? Actually cash gate should act as a wake up call to teach us to stop relying on donors Vuto is not cash gate but failure of the government’s to stop relying on donors funding Lutepo was smeared by politicians and his name was used for campaigning and decampaigning of each other by politicians the result being Dpp… Read more »
Kodi kumukakamila Lutepo mukupindulanji a Malawi a u satana inu