Mutharika denies benefitting from ‘dirty money’, says K145m from Karim was DPP donation

Following Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) report that President Peter Mutharika may have benefitted from K145 million that a supplier deposited in a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) account for which he is the sole signatory, State House has issued a statement to clarify that the money was among donations for the party headquarters project.

Presidential spokesperson Mgeme Kalilani said in the statement that the Standard Bank account of the party which Mutharika is a sole signatory was for the construction project of party headquarters.

“The DPP has several other accounts in its name for party operations,” said Kalilani.

He confirmed that Mutharika opened the account in 2015, a year after assuming office but clarified that “it is a DPP headquarters construction project account.”

According to State House, the banking transaction in question happened two years later, in 2017.

The  November 2017 ACB report says  a day after the supplier  Pioneer Investments—a firm owned by Zameer Karim –  deposited K2.793 billion payment from Police for supplying 500 000 ration packs, the company transferred K145 million to the DPP  Standard Bank account 014003192200 on April 13 2016.

Kalilani said President Mutharika is the sole signatory to the account “to ensure that funds in that account are used effectively towards the said construction project.”

The statement said the account received donations from well -wishers for that purpose.

“All withdraws from that account are used for the project and the party. His Excelkency Prif, Arthur Peter Mutharika has never personally benefitted from funds in that account.

“All transactions in that account are documented and the party has receipts for them,” reads the statement in part.

State House maintains that there is character assassination campaign against President Mutharika and the DPP from a disgruntled politician who is using his surrogates in some churches, the media and other state agencies.

In apparent reference to Vice-President Saulos Chilima, the statement said the politician has been making “Innuendos and soeaking in parables” to scandalide Mutharika and DPP.

ACB director Reyneck Matemba  confirmed the probe into allegations of fraudulent transactions in ration packs contract between the Police and Pioneer.

State House said Mutharika had no knowledge of the ACB probe, saying he has nothing to hide and is “calling upon the ACB to thoroughly and professionally investigate the said business transaction.”

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