Malawi leader Mutharika pleads innocent on K145m: MBC airs edited interview

August 10, 2018 Owen Khamula -Nyasa Times 30 Comments

President Peter Mutharika’s  used an interview program on the state controlled Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) on Thursday which pleaded innocent to the contentious K145 million donation suspected to have been proceeds of crime in much-publicised Malawi Police Service (MPS) food rations scam.

Mutharika in defensive mode

The K145 million payout to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was deposited by  Pioneer Investment Limited in a bank account for which President Mutharika is a sole signatory.

Anti Corruption Bureau investigation report  showed that PI Limited made an abortive interest claim of K466 million from Police and deposited the controversial K145 million into the DPP bank account at Standard Bank.

Mutharika responded to questions by veteran journalist Vincent Khonyongwa, the newly promoted
acting director of News and Current Affairs in Talk to the President programme.

The President said in the 30-minute recorded interview that the K145 million was an “honest’’ donation which his party announced it will refund the funds, saying he did not know the donation is suspected to have been proceeds of a crime.

PI Limited deposited the funds in the DPP account immediately after getting a K2.7 billion payment for police food rations contract.

Mutharika said he was a victim of a political smear campaign ahead of nex year’s elections.

“I know of a few individuals who were sent by other parties to tarnish my name and the DPP,” he said.

“All over the world  people receive donations and it is normal for people to receive donations,” stressed Mutharika.

But Mutharika said the graft-busting body were free to carry out investigations, saying he would never interfere with the bureau.

Said Mutharika: “I do not interfere in the ACB. Never. Interfere for what?”

During the interview program there a few gaffes as President Mutharika mentioned banks long ago closed as those processing civil servants housing scheme.

For instance, when he was asked about loans for a housing scheme for lower grade civil servants, Mutharika answered with confidence that he was talking to Indebank and other banks when in actual fact Indebank folded up in the country years back.

Malawi Stock Exchange (MSE)—listed National Bank of Malawi (NBM) recapitalized Indebank Limited from retail to development banking. Indebank was established in 1972 and derives its name from Investment and Development Bank Limited—the original name at the time of its founding.

The aired program was heavily edited with most of the materials which Mutharika  initially said and were in the promotion material were edited out.

MBC edited out his responses to vice president Saulos Chilima’s pledge that he would create one million jobs once voted into power as well as the part in which he said it was normal for a chief executive offiver of a company or organization to be a sole bank account signatory.

 

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Follow us in Twitter

30 replies on “Malawi leader Mutharika pleads innocent on K145m: MBC airs edited interview”

  1. It’s happening in Romania. Why can’t Malawians do a peaceful protest . We need to protect Malawi. These looters needs to go by force.

  2. Kodi Pumbwayu wakalambadi eti? Alamu Pumbwa Mwakalamba pumani. In 1958 you were in form 4 and that is 60 years ago. A mdala zoona donation from a Police deal to dpp. That’s corruption. Donation through corrupt means and that is why the acb wants to prosecute you, Botomani and Zameer. You are protected by the constitution. Nzomera has a case to answer and you too. I hate thieves and I can’t vote for you.

  6. Mutharika is a new word for corruption in Malawi. Mutharika=corruption or Mbava

  8. It is very difficult for an old man to the together complicated lies into a coherent story. At his age it is difficult to differentiate a lie from truth especially when the people around him have created a parallel universe for him made up of alternative truths. This time around he is cornered and has looking for escape route which I belive will be very difficult to find. If he starts crying victim then we know the end is nigh. None of what he has said in the interview make sense……not that anything he says makes sense anyway.

  9. Yes,all over the world people/ party receive DONATIONS. But such donations are declared to avoid fraudulent suspicions.
    Like what happened in this crooked scenario. Who else was aware about the account? Who gave PI ‘the DPP’ account’s details? Normally the depositor calls the account’s holder ‘I have deposited’, who did he call? Who acknowledged receipt? Usually banks send transactional updates. Who received the sms? The account was withdrawn of K65 million, was the withdrawer not surprised with the balance? Did he question its sources?
    Ngati apapa sikuonapo uMBAVA then let’s declare corruption is NO LONGER a CRIME in Malawi.
    SHAME!!!

  11. Thief in Chief your time is up, you are. such a disgrace beyond measure ! I can’t believe you are a lawyer!

  12. Chimene ndidziwa ine ndichakuti pangatilike bwanji maka, we are going out from this leadership.
    Anthu ozuza ndi opweteketsa mtima pansipansi ngati inu were not expected in Malawi,am sure it’s not only me who is bleeding inside when I see the way how killing this country, when money takes over the sit, leaders become snakes, monkeys are better.
    Look the way mmene mwaonongela maganizo ya athu,kusokoneza ubongo was anthu, kuwapanga anthu azilephela kuganiza,anthu aziva kuwawa mkati mwenimweni mwa moyo wawo,dziko lao kulipanga lothina pa moyo wawo, this is not good! Ndithu tsiku Lina tituluka ndithu mmanja mwanu ndipo tadzatenga what belongs to us, Lilongwe,Blantyre and Mzuzu will be our Cities again, there will be no cry anymore, our children will enjoy the fruits our hardworking spirit, there will be Joy in every corner of our beautiful Land, we will be harvesting good fruits from out farms,there will be good rain fall,Malawi will be a home where peace and love will be the talk of the day and night, all what I have listed here will be happing in this Land of ours after the fall of the giant bwho has taken Malawi as den of thieves and killers
    God bless Malawi.

  13. When JB and PP received donation from Lutepo and others who were involved in Cash gate we did you say? JB said she did not know that some people who made donations to PP were involved in crime. And now you are found in the same situation. Why should we believe you??????

  14. An arrest has to be made. Mbava zeni zeni izi. All they will do is move the stolen money around.

  16. Peter has repeatedly said that he has money and no need for him to be squandering tax payers money. All what I know about his life abroad is that Peter was a lecturer and managed to acquire a house. I am not sure whether Peter was living luxurious life or not but my interest is to ponder his argument by relating him to his late brother Bingu who worked for best international organisations abroad (I mean better positions than college lecturer) but Bingu had no house that I knew the time he came back from abroad. It was during his presidency when Bingu afford to building magnificent house at Ndata Farm.

    Therefore, Peter should not cheat Malawians because he has not yet possessed everything he might want to have in life. He is here to acquire more wealth.

  18. Kajoloweka tiye nawoni amenewa…….mbava zokalamba……

    Ana awo akulipidwa ngati needy student…..(Dausi) yet amphawi kuwakaniza…………May the lord forgive you…

    1. Malawians had high expectations that someone who has stayed in USA for a long time would turn fortunes for this country but unfortunately the opposite is true – ESCOM services have completely dwindled to the extent that when we have power for 10 hours, people are surprised hence the normal has become abnormal and the abnormal has become normal.

  22. The old man s beyond his past, i thought as a lawyer he can articulate things positively alas!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  23. Malawian politicians always take their citizens as fools who doesn’t travel or being in conversant with the takings all over the world. Political parties are legally and morally entitled to ask and/or receive donations from anyone or any private entity but excluding those that are doing business with the state. This is so as to avoid a breeding ground for corruption as those that donate or donate more will be favoured in awarding of the tenders. For instance, why people didn’t complain when Simbi Phiri donated millions to dpp and mcp a year or two ago? Because people knew he made his money somewhere, now that he’s in a process of commencing the water project with government, do you honestly think people will take it with their hands down if he donates again to dpp? After getting paid on that project- he can still donate to mcp or any other party but not the ruling party. How can you pay your own boss especially efter you got paid from him? If that is ok why then work for him if you can afford to pay him? Malawians are we stupid, naive or what? This was pure thieving by Muntharika and dpp because the money doesn’t belong to them but government.

  24. This man need to rest if we give him another term things will be worse. He is just being used by those people sorrounding him in order to fatten their bellies. In short this man is not fit to be a leader.

  25. uyutu uyu ndi osokonekeza. he doesnt know how to tackle issues professionally and politically. mbuli khete

    1. Thus why for him it is easier to siphone money from police through pioneer investment than handling questions

Comments are closed.