Ex-minister Mussa says ‘Amwenye’ should not be spared in Malawi corruption crackdown
Former minister Yunus Mussa has observed that the spate of arrests in cement import scandal and others defrauding government in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regime is giving the impression that it is only indigenous Malawians who can be kept in police cells while Malawians of Asian origin on the list of suspects are only interrogated but not detained.
Mussa, a former legislator of Zomba Central Constituency who dumped DPP and joined UTM Party of Vice-President Saulos Chilima, said on ‘TimesTalk’ phone-in programme monitored by Nyasa Times on Times Radio that companies owned by Malawians of Asian origin who colluded with suspects being arrested should also be arraigned.
“There are a lot of Amwenye [Asian businesspersons] who are corrupt barons. These tycoons should not be spared,” said Mussa.
“There are Asians doing business in the country on the list of suspects in tax evasion, they should not just be interrogated, they need to face the law. No one is above the law,” said Mussa.
Many callers in the programme hosted by Brian Banda lamented failure by authorities to pounce on owners of some companies which participate in defrauding government but remain free from prosecution.
This comes after police arrested with several key figures, including the security aide to former president Peter Mutharika, in connection to the nearly $7 million in cement import duties.
But a businessman implicated in the deal, Ahmed Chunara, was only questioned and released after he revealed to police that the imports were initiated by Norman Paulosi Chisale, a bodyguard of Mutharika.
Chisale is one several people whom police arrested Tuesday for alleged involvement in the cement importation deal.
On Friday, police arrested the former deputy commissioner general of the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), Roza Mbilizi, for facilitating the importation of the duty-free cement.
Records show that the MRA gave Mutharika the clearance to make the duty-free cement importations in three tranches, with each consignment valued at $2.24 million.
Mutharika has denied knowing about the scheme which saw cement for construction of his private property imported duty free.
Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said police are interrogating several other people on the matter.
“When investigations are ripe, we will inform the public,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) director general Reyneck Matemba has said the graft-busting body will start preliminary investigations in the matter.
Newly elected President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, who in his inaugural speech pledged to deal with corruption, said that before the country of 19.13 million people can begin to rebuild, it must clear the rubble of corruption.
“I will challenge the leadership of judiciary to do more to root out the culture of corruption and selective justice that has shipwrecked too many of our lowest courts,” he said.
Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), now in the opposition, claims there is political persecution against its members, a claim which Minister of Information Gospel Kazako has dismissed as trivial.
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Mwenye si munthu. Arrest them and let them taste Maula four star treatment. Then they will stop saying Jiko ndi wanu ndalama ndi wathu.Confiscate their assets and fine them-MK100BN each
There is a system which has to be broken and arrests have to continue Malawi for Malawians and there is uncontrolled immigration of indians a thing we are not controlling just as with others from other countries. Investors and visitors yes but not as we are trailing. We need to define immigration as other countries even India defines it. We need to scrutinize the registration of citizens with National Registration Bureau. All corrupt employees at the bureau must be arrested and illegal immigrants must be expatriated.
The word Amenya is a derogatory word ..shame its coming from failed politicians like Mussa who even today gets his gratuities from the very indians he is trying to castigated. Malawi needs a united country not xenophobic nonsense as proposed .. No derogatory names please Mr Mussa (who actually has indian blood running in him too ) Malawi is larger and bigger than bigots Period. As far as corruption is concerned no stone should be left un touched …a dig it out and yes punish one and all who are complicit to this cancer of corruption . Malawi shall rise… Read more »
You are just a Dog,,,Who are they if you hate the name of Amwenye?
Tonse has a test to pass on this
Don’t worry Yunus, we the citizens will arrest these criminals. Chakwera came to power through a smooth revolution. He needs to wake up else he will go as he came
Thumbs up Yunus.
What Yunus has said makes sense. Whoever participated in looting should be treated the same. We should not be colonized in our minds by treating amwenye differently. Externalization of cash should also be closely monitered.
You extort money from the very Indians yourself!
Yes i noted a scenario where could be conflict interest. Procurement staff kupemba ndalama kwa amwenye
ROT 🇲🇼
This is why for all the countries is an interesting story. Law are made by Malawians, administered by Malawians but when it comes to gull implimetation the law changes Malawians become second class citizens and foreigners first class citizens who according to nature must never ever be put in our filthy smelly rat infeated cell lest the Almighty punish us Mussa dont yake this country to hell by your arrogant sughestion even government knows that the amwenyes are superior to us hence dont arrest them. Even the interrogation was done unconstitutionally it was supposed o be done at a decent… Read more »
AMWENYE MUST NOT BE SPARE AT ALL. Malawi belongs to all of us. It is time that all corrupts face the music. There are far many amwenye who have been at the center of all corruptions in Malawi. Some of them who are visible in shady deals are easy picks and must be taken in right away. Other are enablers who hide behind shady companies or international companies to orchestrate tax evasion. In this category, there are bankers, accountants, and others. I have talked about Ernst Young before. The new boss of MRA knows this very well. He must work… Read more »