Govt backs Mpinganjira stay at Escom as chair: ‘Innocent until proven otherwise by court’
Malawi government has backed the decision by business tycoon Thomson Mpinganjira’s decision to stay put at state power distribution company, Escom as its chairperson despite a corruption case hanging over his head.
Government spokesperson Mark Botomani said Mpinganjira, who owns FDH Financial Holdings which includes FDH Bank, is a mere suspect in the corruption case.
“Dr. Mpinganjira is still a suspect in the case, no court has convicted him so on which grounds the government can use to dismiss him,” said Botomani.
Graft busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Mpinganjira a few weeks ago on suspicion that he wanted to bribe five Constitutional Court judges with K100 million to influence the election case in favour of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Soon after his release on court bail, Mpinganjira stepped aside as the chief executive officer of FDH Financial Holdings Limited.
Mpinganjira denies the allegations of bribery and the President Peter Mutharika disassociated himself and the party from any attempts to bribe the judges.
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enafe nimanhosdpota even if we are turned into slaves
Join the discussion… Malawians are divided . it’s only northern who rise up for the good of the country
majude mulungu akukatheni choona mukuchidziwa ndinu k800m ukugwira tchito koma chomwe mungadziwe kumwamba kulibe chinyengo kulimba mtima chocho chifukwa cha mabukhu kumwa inki kwambiri ayi zonse adziwa namalenga kumwamba
god the creator of heaven and earth we ask you to protect our president apm guard and guide him with your holy spirit in jesus name i pray amen
may the holy spirit protect apm in the name of jesus i pray amen
why doing this chilima why? god knows
bwanji ku court simunapiteko Apm asanalumbire? kungowonekeratu kuti alipo waacheta achilimawo kuti avutitse a apm mulungu akukanthe chilima
The question is: why did he step aside from fdh, a bank he owns but is refusing to step down from escom a public company? Does it mean that he owns escom more than fdh? Has more interests in escom? Is indespansable only at escom?
Mpinganjira is an accountant.He should know better that after spending a night in the cooler he should have recused himself from being chair of ESCOM Board.Where is ICAM in all this?
Useless body of accountants like Malawi Law Society!
He spent a night in police custody and he answering charges the best thing to do is to suspend him until the matter is over.
Thom reminds me of March 1975. Remember? The guys were very close to power. And had money. But, Mikuyu did them in.
This is plain and simple defiance of good governance. In a functioning democracy, Mpingagira would be suspended until proven innocent. Opposition parties and the Judiciary should look to this development as pointing to Mutharika’s / DPP’s open defiance of the Con Court Judgement. Mutharika shows no sign of accepting the judgement gracefully. Sadly we Malawians are rather sleepy for we have not yet demanded that law enforcement agencies including ACB to investigate who was responsible for providing the Tippex used at the polling booths for the rigging, who was responsible for arranging the rigging to be carried out in the first place, who bribed the returning officers and who benefited from the rigging. Clearly the rigging was carried out to benefit Mutharika so he is guilty. Once we begin to understand this obvious fact Mutharika and his gang of looters and riggers have to be put behind prison bars at Zomba Central.
Considering that investigations on the alleged bribery to the ConstCourt judges were started by ACB on Mpinganjira, and that the culprit was also directed to give his full cooperation to the ACB in the course of investigations, sincerely Mark Botomani’s message is understood to mean that government of Malawi is comfortable and ready to compromise on the alleged bribery, misappropriation and or abuse of power in its administration. Further it is also clear that APM’s government has proved to have no moral ground and cannot tell the public to refrain from giving any bribes and report to the authorities if it happens.
The message shows that: (1) government condones corruption; (2) government has some places where those whose integrity is questionable are kept; (3) government is not committed to fighting corruption in an effort to create a transparent, clean and trustworthy administration; (4) government cannot take any advice; (5) Malawi is a total mess………………………………etc etc. I am now seeing the reasons why these people are not willing to move out of government and have shamefully chosen to cling to power!!
Botomani if FDH, which is smaller to the size of government has appreciated the impact they may face if they keep up associating with Mpinganjira, seriously is government not afraid of the same………………. anzathu mwapeza ubweya wambiri woooti muzisosola ndipo mukanasosola ……………………!!
Koma abale, mukufuna tiyambenso ma demo a Mpinganjira? Achoke ku ESCOM ngati mmene anachokera ku Bank kwake. Why double standards?
Nobody really cares for this nation. If it was a common person he could have been suspended or interdicted. By the way, why has he step aside from being the CEO at his bank. Why can’t he do the same at ESCOM?
Because if Mpingagira steps down as Chairman of ESCOM, he will not be able to destroy evidence of the corruption and looting by Mutharika, Mpingagira and other DPP looters.
So I repeat Mpingagira is still at ESCOM for concealment of the looting and corruptly awarded contracts. These are first class criminals destroying our nation. Same Mpingagira should now be locked up at Lilongwe Maula Prison.