Mphwiyo, Limumba, Mpoola found with case to answer in Malawi cashgate scandal
The High Court Esmie Chombo has found former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo and 18 others with a case to answer in the cashgate case in which the group is accused of embezzling K2.4 billion public funds.
Mphwiyo is the most high profile face in the K2.4 billion trial that also has former Accountant General David Kandoje, Steven Phiri, George Banda, Michael Mphatso, Samuel Mzanda, Andrews Chilalika, Auzius Kazombo-Mwale, Clemence Madzi and Roosevelt Ndovi.
Others are businessperson Stanford Mpoola, Fatch Chungano, Symphathy Chisale, Cecilia Ng’ambi, Stanley Mtambo, Gerald Magareta Phiri and Ndaona Satema.
Businessperson Limumba Karim, who jumped bail and is a fugitive in South Africa will be extradited to face the trial in Malawi.
One of the suspect, Maxwell Namata died.
They were charged with conspiracy to defraud government, holding property belonging to government, theft, money laundering, fraudulently issuing 24 cheques worth K2.4 billion, abuse of public office and usage of proceeds of crime.
The former budget director was shot at the gate of his Area 43 residence in Lilongwe on September 13 2013 and former minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ralph Kasambara, businessperson Pika Manondo, Dauka Manondo, Robert Kadzuwa and Macdonald Kumwembe were convicted and jailed after being found guilty of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Kasambara remains a convict but was released on bail from prison after serving sentence months pending an appeal in the Supreme Court.
It is believed that Mphwiyo’s shooting opened a can of worms that exposed the plunder of public resources at Capital Hill widely known as Cashgate.
Former president Joyce Banda ordered a forensic audit which was undertaken by a British firm, RSM ( formerly Baker Tilly), covering the period between April and September 2013.
The audit established that about K24 billion was siphoned from the public coffers through dubious payments, inflated invoices of goods or services never rendered.
In May 2015, a financial analysis report by audit and business advisory firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) also established that about K577 billion in public funds could not be reconciled between 2009 and December 31 2014.
However, the K577 billion figure was later revised downwards to K236 billion by another British forensic auditor.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
If I can recall properly, Abiti Ntila at a political gathering tried to be clever by volunteering that she was in a position to reveal who shot Mphwiyo. Unfortunately that didn’t come to pass as she was in a hurry to go abroad to give lectures at various universities worldwide (receive my kudos mai). At one point Raphael Kasambara said in court that he wanted Joyce Kachale as his witness. Is it not the right time now to involve the lady to assist to speed up this legal train? She already did an honourable thing as the person at the… Read more »
very interesting article. thank you
Another Forensic audit she be carried out from 2015 to 2020. All thieves should be arrested and locked up. In so doing this behavior and conduct will be stopped.
Imeneyi ndiye tonse alliance, mai banda chiongolero. Vote for tonse at your own peril
What I find interesting is that Mphwiyo is lurking around the Tonse Alliance. I just hope after the elections the case continues without political interference. Waba kwambiri nkuluyu
She is related to Jb
They are cousins
Mphwiyo and JB are relations
Thus very true bro. I also heard the VP sometimes pays visit to Lutepo.
Thus true that fear I have it. For VP sometimes visits Lutepo
Let justice prevail, we have no proper roads, no bridges, poor sanitation due to lack of boreholes in remote areas, security is getting poor becoz civil servants have got very low wages yet someone is pocketing home our billions of kwachas.. Mulungu amalawi tionetseni ndinu kolowera.
Anthu awa eeish, mpaka amakamwera ku Joni, P5 in government. If we were serious, auditing life styles would give us an indication of how these were able to leave beyond their means
No need to waste anymore time in the courts. Let’s simply crucify them. All of them !!
Wouldn’t agree more.The trial itself is a continuation of Cashgate in that alot of public resources are being drained.
I love their shoes. ()
These people will not see heaven unless you repent. have you seen how millions of Malawians are suffering because of your thieving.
no drugs in hospitals
no proper school infrastructure
the good thing is that you have led to the downfall of Your Masters, Joyce Banda and APM
the mphwiyo team who used to go on weekend drinking sprees in South African pubs.
thats malawi and Ben Botolo still holding the verdict of the embezzled DIPLOMATS Business. please come out Botolo