New leads on K577bn DPP-era cashgate, says Kamlepo: ‘Malawi Parliament needs more time to peruse report’

Malawi Parliament says it has found new leads in the K577 billion cashgate during the Bingu wa Mutharika reign and this will delay the presentation of the report in the National Assembly.

Deputy chairperson of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Kamlepo Kalua said in an interview on Tuesday that new leads are pointing to misuse of public funds amounting to K1 trillion.

“Our report to parliament plenary will delay, we are following up these new leads. A lot of money has been plundered by the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) government,” he said.

He said PAC now needs more time to scrutinize the report.

“For sure this has exceed the K577 billion and we are looking at it very carefully,” he said.

This will be the second time the report has been delayed to be presented in the House as parliament is expected to make recommendations on how to recover the money.

Kalua said one week was not enough to look into the whole report, saying the committee needed at least two weeks.

The issue has caused controversy after unknown thugs broke into the Germany embassy in Lilongwe and stole a computer that stole data regarding some information on the plunder of the public resources by alleged Bingu wa Mutharika and his cronies.

Police have not made any arrests to the theft of the computer although fingers point to intelligence officers of the National Intelligence Bureau.

Some parliamentarians say they will recommend that property of the former head of state be auctioned off to recover the public money, a move that will face stiff resistance from Peter Mutharika administration.