MRA’s Roza Mbilizi falls ill after ACB probe: Fatch implicated in K3.2bn cement

Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) deputy director general Roza Mbilizi has not been reporting for duties due to unspecified illness following the investigations by Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on her involvement in bootleg deals and abuse of office at the public tax collector, Nyasa Times understands.

There was no word from MRA about the nature of Mbilizi’s illness.

Mbilizi has generally enjoyed good health before the change of government through a court-sanctioned  fresh presidential elections on June 23.

Among other issues that Mbilizi is being probed is sale of MRA houses and how she facilitated   clearance of the duty-free 400 000 bags of cement worth K3.2 billion which  immediate former [resident Peter Mutharika imported from Zambia and Zimbabwe between 2018 and 2019.

Legal experts questioned  the volume involved on the “personal use” provision in the Presidents (Salaries and Benefits) Act and called for an investigation.

The Presidents (Salaries and Benefits) Act allows the President “duty free importation of items for personal use”.

In the initial transaction in November 2018, the President bought 20 000 metric tonnes (MT) or 200 000 bags of cement worth $2 240 000 (about K1.68 billion) from PTC Zimbabwe Limited duty-free. In the second transaction in July 2019, Mutharika purchased the same quantity from Prestige Export based at Chipata in Zambia.

Malawi has three large-scale cement manufacturing companies, namely Lafarge Cement in Blantyre, Shayona Cement Corporation in Kasungu and Cement Products Limited in Mangochi.

Meanwhile, Mbilizi’s relation Lodzani Fatchi is being implicated to be part of the deal for using Mutharika’s duty free status to import cement and sale  on his business.