Search all Malawi ministers houses for stashes of money – MP Kabwila

Opposition Salima north west lawmaker Jessie Kabwila on Wednesday asked that searches be done in houses of cabinet ministers for stashes of money.

Kabwila, an opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) legislator, said some cabinet ministers are keeping huge sums of money in their homes when the majority of Malawians are suffering.

Her remarks follow the discovery on Tuesday of K166 million in the residence of just fired Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development minister George Chaponda.

ACB confirmed they found K124 million, $58 000 and other currencies such as Pulas of Botswana and South African Rand.

However, Speaker of the National Assembly Richard Msowoya, ruled Kabwila out of order, saying this was not her job.

Graft busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau investigators accompanied by the police found the money in Chaponda’s residence in Area 10 as they were investigating him in suspicious dealings in the infamous maizegate.

Parliament started on Wednesday with the announcement of the firing of Chaponda as Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development minister.

However, this did not go down well with opposition members of parliament who questioned why it had taken time for President Mutharika to take action over Chaponda.

Blantyre-based financial crime legal expert Jai Banda said there is no law that stipulates the maximum amount of money a person can keep on him.

He, however, said authorities can use the Corrupt Practices Act if a person who is keeping large amounts of money fails to explain the source of the cash.

Banda also said there is no crime in keeping foreign currency provided a person has obtained it from a legal dealer.

Two commissions, one set up by the President and the other by Parliament presented reports that called for further investigations to be carried out on Chaponda, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Principal Secretary Erica Maganga, Admarc CEO and others.