Malawi ex-president Muluzi case resurfaces

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) returns to High Court  in Blantyre Friday with the K1.7 billion Bakili  Muluzi case that has stagnated for about 12  years.

Muluzi who ruled Malawi from 1994 to 2004 as first democratically elected president, was charged over  K1.7 billion which was donated through him for his United Democratic Front (UDF) campaign for his handpicked successor Bingu wa Mutharika in 2014 which was in his personal account.

The State claimed  the money was public funds despite that donations were made directly to him for party purposes and not from donor nations.

Muluzi was first arrested in July 2006 and  initially charged on 80 counts of allegedly siphoning aid cash into his private account. He is being jointly charged with his former  personal  secretary  Lines Whiskey.

A notice  at the High Court in Blantyre indicates that Lilongwe-based High Court judge Chifundo Kachale will hear the case.

The Constitutional Court in Blantyre ruled that Muluzi needs to appear before court to account for his wealth.