State to drop Bakili Muluzi graft case – Malawi News
Malawi government plans to drop former president Bakili Muluzi corruption case where he (Muluzi) is accused of misappropriating K1.7 billion—about $11m (£7m) of funds from international donors.
According to Malawi News of March 7, 2015, citing “reliable sources within the top echelons of government,” there have been moves to drop the case for some months – apparently due to lack of evidence.
The case protracted since 2011 due to among other reasons, the former president’s health concerns is still ongoing at the High Court.
The former president was charged with corruption and abuse of office for allegedly diverting donor funds into his personal accounts.
Muluzi, Malawi’s first democratic president was initially charged with 86 counts of corruption and abuse of office. They were trimmed to three.
He denies any wrong doing.
Government already had given Muluzi back over 60 vehicles which the country’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) seized from him in 2009.
According to ACB deputy director Reyneck Matemba, the vehicles were really “deteriorating” hence an out-of-court agreement between anti-graft body and Muluzi lawyers led to the release of the vehicles earlier this year.
The agreement was subsequently validated by court consent, Matemba disclosed.
According to Matemba, the decision to release the vehicle was made long before the bureau and the country changed leadership.
Matemba however insisted ACB it is proceeding with the case on April 9 “for a marathon two weeks.”
He said the case “can only be discontinued for valid legal reasons in line with criminal procedure and Evidence code and we are supposed to account for that through the Director of Public Prosecutions to Parliament through the Legal Affairs Committee.”
Muluzi’s lawyer Jai Banda said the defence team is are not aware of the case being dropped and that they still preparing for the case .
But Muluzi’s bank accounts remain frozen since 2009 and he has no access to the money since then.
Muluzi, who ruled the southern African nation for 10 years, stepped down in 2004 after unsuccessfully trying to change the constitution to allow him to stand again.
He hand-picked Bingu wa Mutharika to run for president on the UDF ticket. But eight months after his victory, the late Mutharika resigned from the UDF over what he says was hostility to his anti-corruption campaign and formed DPP which the incumbent, Peter Mutharika, his younger brother is heading.
UDF which is led by Muluzi’s son Atupele, currently serving as cabinet minister in Peter Mutharika adminstration and DPP are now in a governing alliance.
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This case is waste of time & resources it’s better to drop it as they have done.
No 112 know that UDF does not own and fund ACB and Judiciary. Also take note that UDF is a party with Malawians as its membership therefore Malawians of UDF membership are entitled know what happened to their money. Bakili was posing as if he was running UDF party with his own money while the money was from the very party he claimed to be funded by him. Why did donors not channel the same in his many personal accounts. Ask Nyasa times what they wrote when Karonga Stambuli was murdered in cold blood because he had spilled the beans.… Read more »
Takulandirani kuno ku Malawi.
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ACB is corrupted, therefore should be abolished forthwith. This is similar to cashgate case, others are suffering while others cases are being dropped down, why? Malawians have been eagerly waiting over the past years for the results of this case. Is this the msge you want to put across into the ears of Malawians. Should public money go like that? then we are not serious. What do you want then. All cashgate cases should be dropped and we start afresh. Govt of stupid leaders, failed nations, bullshit APM.
Government should drop all cases relating to cash gate if former head of state cases are dropped.
Going through about what people wrote, one wonders if they knew/know the original charges of the case, or they just comment emotionally. The original case of 42 charges against Muluzi in 2006 was of him, “diverting UDF campaign donor money into his account.” But the way people talk, it’s like he is accused of diverting/stealing government money into that account. Sometimes one feels sorry for those who hate a person emotionally and conclude things which they have no knowledge of. What has donations to UDF party got to do with tax payers money. First go and read the original “CHARGE… Read more »
THIS IS WHY PRESIDENT SHOULD DECLARE THEIR WOPRTH, SO THAT WHEN THEY BUY 200 CARS IN 2 YEARS WE SHOULD ALL UNDERSTAND. ngati anaba ndalama za boma , alandidwe chumacho ndikumangidwa, ngati sanabe then you shouldnt have even taken anything he owns. now when the charge has been dropped, cant he then sue the state, and get millions in compensation .
Is this some political pardon, is his son involved, or was he just a victim of dirty politics, where the ex president or vp gets victimised.
Cases must not be dropped Until they pay our money.
ngati anaba ndalama za boma , alandidwe chumacho ndikumangidwa, ngati sanabe then you shouldnt have even taken anything he owns. now when the charge has been dropped, cant he then sue the state, and get millions in compensation .
Is this some political pardon, is his son involved, or was he just a victim of dirty politics, where the ex president or vp gets victimised.
These UDF and DDP are big theives pls God help Malawian to MCP back to government for change take away these theives