Mutharika denies claim of selective prosecution: Challenges PAC to probe K236mil cashgate

Malawi President Peter Mutharika has denied accusations of selectively instigating prosecutions against opposition members while those in the corridors of powers are shielded.

Mutharika  has come under fire for selective in its prosecution of suspects of Cashgate—the plunder of public resources at Capital Hill exposed in 2013.

Critics argue that there has ever been Cashgate on Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)’s watch, including during the era of his brother Bingu wa Mutharika.

But when he met commissioners of the Malawi Human Rights Commisison on Thursday on the status of human rights in Malawi, the President said  he is not the prosecuting authority.

“I don’t decide on who to prosecute, Its the Anti Corruption Burea and the Ministry of Justice that have the mandate to prosecute people,” said Mutharika.

The President maintained that there no Cabinet ministes involved in Cashgate, challenging Public Account of Committee  of parliament to investigate the K236 billion cashgate and “close the chapter.”

“You can investigate my government and bring the evidence than you should be painting a negative picture that my government is the most corrupt,” said Mutharika.

Mutharika also challenged the citizenry, civil society and foreign nationals who criticise him for his stance on the fight against graft, that none of his Cabinet ministers are mentioned in the K236 billion forensic audit report covering the period between 2009 and 2014.

Mutharika said he asked Accountant General, Anti-Corruption Bureau [ACB] director on the matter and” there are no seven ministers.”

Then president Joyce Banda ordered a forensic audit which British firm RSM (formerly Baker Tilly)  undertook, covering the six-month period between April and September 2013.

The audit established that about K24 billion was siphoned from public coffers through dubious payments, inflated invoices and goods or services never rendered.

In May 2015, a financial analysis report by audit and business advisory firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) also established that about K577 billion in public funds could not be reconciled between 2009 and December 31 2014.

However, the K577 billion estimated in the PwC report was revised downwards to K236 billion in a forensic audit conducted by RSM Risk Assurance Services LLP of the United Kingdom in April last year.