Murekezi jailed for five years: Rwandan guity of corruption
Rwandan national Vincent Murekezi has been jailed for five years on Monday after being he was convicted of corruption by the Lilongwe Magistrate’s Court almost nine years after he was tried in absentia.
Murekezi’s co-accused Komani Nyasulu was already convicted and served his sentence.
The court heard that Murekezi was convicted of the offence of corrupt transaction by private body contrary to section 26 subsection 2 of the corrupt practices Act where it was alleged that he on or about the 30 of December 2007 in the city of Lilongwe corruptly gave Nyasulu a clearing agent with Trade and Freight Connections K200 000 in order to facilitate evasion of import duty of approximately K2.2million which was payable to Malawi Government.
Principal Resident Magistrate Chilunga Chirwa said Murekezi deserved custodial sentence.
“Having arrived at the decision that an immediate custody term is deserved , the next issue is how long should the sentence be. Without a doubt he does not deserve a short sentence. This is not a matter where he pleaded guilty. It is my honest belief that the offender herein deserves more than 4 years as the advantage offered in instant case was higher and it resulted in the loss of a lot of money in revenue.
“It is my view that he deserves 5 years imprisonment with hard labour to run from the day he was convicted by this court namely the 2 February, 2017,” said the Magistrate.
Murekezi’s lawyer Gift Katundu said the Rwandan has already instructed him to appeal the sentence, saying it is “harsh”.
“My client has already advised me to appeal the sentence,” Katundu told Nyasa Times.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Murekezi in December last year after noting that he was a wanted person in a corruption case dating back to 2008.
Meanwhile, Murekezi is also facing possible extradition after fleeing his country before his conviction of genocide charges.
Malawi and Rwanda recently signed extradition treaty.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Murekezi seems to be a chief in our own territory. How can he know the harshness of the punishment in our own land. This Murekezi should be example to his fellow foreigners. How come a foreigner with a lot of criminal cases. Murekezi is not a good citizen to be hosted. I wish all cases he shoulders could have been handled and charged in town. Ayiwone Bangwe ameneyu
For just your advice. In the land of Trump, you serve your sentece and then get deported!!! Let him serve and then leave the country!!!!!! Malawi for Malawians!!!! not so?????
Amayi ine,the new inmate and the cops are trans-passing the high court premises!!!! Where is the garden man or flower man??? How can our country remain beautiful,if we continue taking these short cuts????
I like this picture as it seems a prisoner to be is rushing to his new cell. Secondly,the cops seem not catching up with him. You guys,need to exercise and stop eating fast foot like the road side kanyenya and machipisi!!!!!
Murekezi get 5 years in jail over corruption case? Now Malawi Government and Judiciary should proceed with extradition to Rwanda issue and forgery documents used to get Malawi passport and citizenship. Murekezi and his Rwandese/Burundians groups should know that Malawi is no longer safe place to those Genocide against Tutsi convicts or suspects and criminals. They must go back to their respectively country to face justice.
He did not forge any document but the fools at immigration were palm oiled nde anampangila passport.
He is convicted hard because he is not one of them? I don’t support his crime but the truth most so called high or bwanas don’t pay duty or they bribe. The people to blame for bribe are cusromer officials. So much money is lost. Money which could have been going togovernmeng coffen. If this country was doing well in customs duty , road traffic, taxes, water board, city rates, ESCOM etc I am sure the nation was going to improve in many varies things.
Good
So it is harsh eh? Anthu akumangidwa 6 years chifukwa chakuba nkhuku! Iwe mbuzi eti! You thought you will get away with it.
Ndipo dikira akuchite extradite upita kwanu akakukwidzinge mlandu wa genocide ukadziwe what harsh means!
Do we defending foreign criminals? Zinazi tiyeni tidzikana. Let us love ourselves and our country…