US urges Malawi to expose and eliminate deep-rooted corruption following Uladi conviction
United States embassy in Lilongwe has said the conviction of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) politician Uladi Mussa in the passport fraud case committed when he served as Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security in 2013 during the Joyce Banda regime should serve a lesson to all public officers.
Public Affairs Officer for US embassy, Douglas Johnston, comments follows High Court Judge Chifundo Kachale judgement which found Mussa, Immigration official David Kwanjana and Ugandan Peter Katasha guilty on the charge of use of public office to the advantage of another and neglect of official duty.
The judge convicted the trio, but acquitted two others suspected to have benefitted from the malpractice.
Mussa, who served as Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security during the two-year tenure of president Joyce Banda between April 2012 and May 2014, was accused of abusing his office by helping foreign nationals acquire Malawi citizenship and passports fraudulently. The former minister is alleged to have fraudulently granted citizenship status to at least 50 foreigners.
In July 2019, the United States of America Department of State banned Mussa and his spouse from visiting that country for his “involvement in significant corruption” in what an analysts described as a statement to authorities on fighting corruption.
At the time, Mussa, who had just been appointed president Peter Mutharika’s special adviser on parliamentary affairs, said he was surprised with the USA decision because the matter in court was yet to be concluded.
Johnston reaffirmed the US support to the government, accountability institutions and people of Malawi in their efforts to eradicate corrupt practices which among others slow development, impede service delivery and marginalize the vulnerable.
“Corruption poses a serious threat to the well-being of people in Malawi and around the world,” Johnston pointed out.
“The United States supports the government, accountability institutions, and people of Malawi in their efforts to eradicate corrupt practices, which slow development, impede service delivery, marginalize the vulnerable, compromise development support, and undermine democracy.
“Deep-rooted corruption must be exposed and eliminated, by identifying, prosecuting, and punishing all those who engage in corrupt practices,” he said.
The charge of abuse of office carries a maximum sentence of 12 years imprisonment while for one to contest for public office such as member of Parliament (MP) one is supposed to legally have a seven-year wait.
Mussa ecently confirmed his ambition to vie for the former governing party’s presidency to replace Peter Mutharika.
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Stop this nonsense, the man committed the crimes during the most corrupt regime Malawi has ever seen of people party of Joyce Banda who is a member of the Tonse alliance. Dpp has nothing to do with this. We are as shocked as you.
Have you got an issue with Joyce Banda and PP. This is about Uladi Mussa who committed this crime as Uladi Mussa. That is why it is him who was arrested, tried and convicted based on the evidence. Stop dragging other people into issues. And don’t think DPP is clean.
By the way,he was arrested during DPP regime and they welcomed him in your party DPP when he left PP hoping that they were going to frustrate this case, but Jah, has said no.
Zinthu zimasinthadi abale Mulungu si munthu musiya ma mansion anu kukakhala ku ndende mmh pepani
T
Nthawi yokawonako ku Maula ndi imeneyitu. Tikufunilani zabwino zonse