Mutharika for deterrent sentences to convicts of economic crimes: Malawi to introduce special corruption courts

Malawi should expect new sentencing guidelines on all manner of corruption offences to ensure deterrent sentences to all convicts of economic crimes, President Peter Mutharika promised on Friday, in a state of the nation address boycotted by the opposition, sending out a very clear message crack down on corruption.

Mutharika said the country will introduce special courts to expedite cases on corruption.

“I maintain my zero tolerance policy against corruption, fraud, theft and other economic crimes, and wish to announce that we will introduce special courts to handle corruption cases,” Mutharika. “We need to expedite court cases on corruption.”

The President said the country’s economy has improved in the last five years and that his administration has delivered more development because “we are putting Government resources to public use instead of putting public resources in private pockets.”

He added: “We are fighting corruption and reducing abuse of public resources. It is a continuing fight and we will continue fighting.”

In the next five years of his second term, Mutharika promised strengthen the law by, among others, enacting deterrent sentences to convicts of corruption and economic crimes.

Mutharika warned that the country will not win the fight against corruption by politicizing it or by leaving the task to the government alone.

“We need to come together at every level of our society, in the private sector, in the public sector, in churches, in mosques, among religious groups and civil society organizations,” he said.

On the economy, he promised to continue with efforts to keep inflation and interest rates low, and comply with policy conditions on a $112 million International Monetary Fund loan.

Mutharika, 78, a former law professor, presided over improvements to infrastructure and a slowdown in inflation during his first five-year term.