Mutharika’s Will, death certificate ‘missing’
Children of Malawi’s former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika and their stepmother are wrangling over his assets.
The three adult children are demanding to see a written Will which they say is missing.
Mutharika’s childrend- —Madalitso, Tapiwa and Duwa—accuse their uncle, Professor Peter Mutharika, and widow, Callista, of stealing their father’s wealth.
Sources closer to the family say the children want the Will to be read.
The children also want to know all bank accounts and who is the signatory.
But family spokesperson, Charles Namondwe and Charles Matabwa, former ADMARC CEO and the counselor to the Bingu-Callista marriage have refused to comment on the matter.
Peter Mutharika and Callisita have also remained mute over Bingu’s will.
Mutharika’s widow obtained Letter of Administration from the High Court in Blantyre before consulting members of the family, which made her in charge of the late Presidents property.
But Mutharika’s children rushed to the same court and managed to get an injunction restraining their step-mother from administering the estate.
The letters of administration Callista obtained through her lawyer Kingsley Mapemba read: “These are to certify that Callista Mutharika [Mrs.] has been duly appointed administratrix of the estate of the late His Excellency Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika who died in the Republic of South Africa on 6th day of April 2012 and is hereby authorised as such to administer his estate according to law.”
Madalitso, Tapiwa and Duwa also argued in their affidavit that the letters of administration are out of ill motive and she did not place advertisements in newspapers as is usually the practice informing the public.
It was widely speculated that Mutharika died intestate and only left documents about his wealth. But the children dispute this.
Sources close to the matter say Callsita is ready for a legal battle but does not want Mutharika’s biological children to drag their father’s name into public ridicule or that the family should be seen to be wrangling.
Last week the children attempted to change locks to the sprawling Ndata mansion in Thyolo which also houses the mausoleum of the late president and his first wife Ethel.
But the children claimed in a joint statementthat: “The nation may remember the fifth anniversary of our mother’s passing fell during the traditional 40-day mourning period after the burial of our father. Therefore, to remember our late mother, we [her children and grandchildren] travelled to the estate to privately commemorate her passing, her life and visit her grave. Reports of a wild party are false and defamatory.”
The children also demand to have the original copy of Mutharika’s death certificate but said the document is being kept secret.
Mutharika, who died of cardiac arrest on April 5 this year, raised eyebrows with the wealth he accumulated during his seven-year presidency.
Among his notable assets was the Ndata Mansion which is reportedly worth K14 billion.
Mutharika’s children nonetheless claim Callista has no claim to any property that belongs to Bineth Trust, the property vehicle for Malawi’s former President.
They have submitted what are said to be original Trust documents from their father’s lawyers, Mbendera and Associates, which indicate that trustees were the late Ethel (Mutharika’s first wife and mother to the three), Madalitso, Tapiwa and Duwa Mubaira-Mutharika.
Late president’s young brother Professor Peter Mutharika summoned the warring parties to a round table to resolve the issue at family level, according to his aide Ben Phiri.
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