Police question Malawi’s ex-president  Mutharika in cementgate, Njaunju killing

Malawi Police have on Wednesday questioned former president Peter Mutharika on the  in a sprawling investigations involving  importation of K5 billion duty free cement and the brutal murder of former Anti-Corruption Bureau director Issah Njauju.

Sources at police hedquarters said head of Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Deputy Commissioner of Police Bob Mtekama, led officers who interrogated Mutharika at his home in Mangochi.

Reports from Mangochi say there was heavy presence of police at the villa where the officers were questioning the former head of state who lost a court sanctioned presidential election on June 23 to Malawi Congress Party’s Lazarus Chakwera.

There were no details on the questioning but two of his close aides have been arrested and questioned on the matter.

These are Muthrika’s private bodyguard Norman Chisale and former director of state residences Peter Mukhito.

Mutharika denies the allegations that he was involved in the cement saga and said some people might have done so without his knowledge.

His aide angrily denounced the questioning as part of a campaign to sully his image, that of his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

But police officer who was part of the questioning said: “No one is exempt from investigation in this country. Anyone in Malawi is subject to be investigated when there are indications of a crime.”