New rubble of plunder at State House: K65m spent on bogus accommodation at Crossroads Hotel

October 18, 2020 Nyasa Times Reporter 68 Comments

There is a new rubble of a systematic looting of public money right from State House in cohort with  Crossroads Hotel in the Capital Lilongwe which has so far seen the tax payer defrauded K65 million in bogus accommodation charges .

Kapondamgaga: State House chief of staff in new rubble of corruption

President Lazarus Chakwera came to power less than five months ago–promising so many good things including ending theft of public resources and corruption.

But it has been exposed within the State House the gruesome theft by the new administration and at the center of the whole scheme are State House Chief of Staff Prince Kapondangaga and Director of Finance Gedion Kalumbu who have connived with one Kiza Aziz Elias–who is posing as an agent hosting three “Israeli security agents” at Crossroads Hotel at the expense of the  tax payer.

The Israelis, reveals the source, are purportedly in the country to train Malawi Police Service (MPs) Malawi Defense Force (MDF), National Intelligence Service (NIS) and President  Chakwera’s private security detail some finer details for Very Important Persons (VIP) close protection in order to defend the new president.

The Jerusalem security experts have also been to Zimbabwe to train the State operatives.

Kiza Aziz Elias–whom the information we have also described as Miguel Elias, has his particulars as follows; born 1st of January 1972, trading as Chitundu Distributers, P O Box 1766, Blantyre.

He has been lodging at Crossroads Hotel with the said “Israelis” from the 5th of July 2020.

“The other room is booked in the name of Mr Zora who is a fictitious and non-existence person because Zora is the name of Mr Miguel Elias child in Blantyre.

“The other occupant is Mr Mitha who happens to be Elias mother’s brother, but is nowhere near Crossroads Hotel. And the third person is Mr Eugenia Molera who happens to be the maiden name of his wife. In short, Mr Eugenia Molera does not exist, he is a bogus character,” states in part the information we have.

The source then goes on to reveal that State House is paying a whopping 300 US Dollars, an equivalent of MK240, 000 per room when the real price of a room at Crossroads is at MK77, 000.

“State House is paying for such dubious expenses meaning taxpayers are parting away with $ 1,200 or MK960, 000 per night for the four rooms. The whole thing is a hoax as it is a money-spinning venture for Kapondangaga and Kalumbu who have connived with Kiza Aziz Elias to externalize forex using the hotel hence the decision to charge the rooms in dollars and hike the price by over 300 percent to make quick money,” reveals the source.

According to the information we have, State House has so far spent MK65 million kwacha on these bogus accommodation payments.

“Every week, such invoices are raised and State House parts away with close to MK6.2m and this amount is thus paid in cash to Mr Miguel Elias. Other than the above, every week State House has to part away with close to MK5.1 million meant for car rentals and stipend for per diem.

“From July 5, the proposed training has been shifting goal posts that have not had any bearing on the tax payers’ money. As a consequence of this, Mr Kiza Elias has bought a Range Rover registration number BW9991 at a cost of MK25m. In addition, he bought another Land Cruiser, brown in colour, and a speed boat, all which are being kept at Crossroads Hotel,” said our source.

Kapondangaga, a former Farmers Union of Malawi Chief Executive Officer, is reportedly masterminding all this behind the knowledge of President Lazarus Chakwera.

Meanwhile, Nyasa Times has also learnt that State House bought 14 laptops at MK4 million each from a company known as Roehampton Barnes in Lilongwe’s Central Business District. We will provide more details on this later.

Kampondamgaga could not immediately comment.

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68 replies on “New rubble of plunder at State House: K65m spent on bogus accommodation at Crossroads Hotel”

  1. Nyasatimes. Hahaha what evidence do you have on this. Too much akuti eeeh akuti no no no mwayambapo yanu ija? You could have brought up the invoices to back you up not this trash.

  5. Koma Tonse Government! Ayayaya, kati upite uku ukungova kuti K65 Million yabedwa through Xroads accommodation, ukati ulowere uku ungova kuti deal yama Ambulance aku Health ndalama zankhani nkhani zabedwa. Koma utsogoleri waku Malawi, eeeeish waumve ndipo opanda u Mulungu.

  9. Chakwera’s regime slowly turning into the worst Malawi has ever had. The problem is surrounding himself with thieves. He needs to send a strong message against corruption by prosecuting Joyce Banda for the plane. That’s the strongest message he can send.

  12. State House ikukonza zoyankha mozemba
    Ikukonzanso zowatseka pakamwa onse oikokakoka nkhaniyi,powapatsa ziphuphu zanio
    Mungowona nkhani yazizira ngati momwe inachitila nkhani yonamiza dziko yogonedwa akazi kwaNsundwe
    Kwapezelela UCHITSILU amalawi

  15. Amalawi…this is why we never go far in this country..so anthu nonse amene mwayankhula pano simunakakhaleko ku hotelo?pepani kwambili..mr reporter mwina muwawuzenso anthuwa ntundu wapanti amene amavala anthuwo kuhoteloko…this is the problem with media companies that do not even have an office..find something better to do people…mwasowazochita

  16. This is indeed hot news with receipts to back it. Chakwera ndi mbavadi chatinkha chidzanja said it koma ife timasutsa.Barely a year zoona? Look at his cabinet zongofuna kuti his close allies adyerepo. How I wish Chilima was our torch bearer uyu osamuvotelanso 2025. Well done reporter and nyasatimes izi ndiye zofunikila

  18. The name Kalumbu, if it’s the person I know, is synonymous with theft.
    If this Crossroads story is true, then I am fed up and only goes to prove Malawi is in “state capture” mode meaning the Indians are indeed in control; procurement, land deals, outright plunder etc etc.
    We are done as a nation.

    1. Shaaa! Do you mean I can say “State House is kalumbuing public resources” means State house is stealing public resources

    2. I have seen multiple top of the range 4x4s (Ford Ranger) orange colour with ‘Chitundu Distributors’ sticker at Crossroads Hotel for a while now.. it’s a very busy location; I’m sure others have seen

      So that part at least is true. The connection to state house etc..??

      I have seen these cars on multiple days day time and night time. I also wondered must be someone has got a new government tender..

      Most crooks are not very smart.. they even put the name right there on the car!

  20. If it’s true, then Tonse Alliance is clearing the rubble indeed… from the outside back into the house!

  21. 65mita, uku sikuba koma amangotapo, timafuna azibako ena nanga awa, timawadziwa ngati “Kapondamgaga”

  23. For sure this Tonse govt need to have a taste of their own medicine prescription. They spoke against DPP in the strongest terms and we were made to believe they will be different and careful but now these things? And so just after the 100 days these things are coming out. So tifikire 5 years ? On the other hand just know that once you MCP folks start fighting SKC most of your dirty stuff will be exposed. This is a warning shot. Hahahaha

      1. ‘Israeli experts’ training our security forces…

        Well that’s just arrant nonsense,

        But of course we’ll all pretend it’s very serious training..

  27. If this scam has any bearing of truth once properly investigated then I’m disappointed. what is the response from Statehouse?

  29. Ma Cadet asowa chochitano.
    This is a baseless claim with fake documents.
    If these documents were real they would have state house address on them.
    The tone of the article can be felt that this the writer is very bitter. This more of a grudge rather than a proper news article.

    1. If you honestly feel this is fake, i urge you to sue the newspaper for defamation. What is cadet??? . Stop scapegoating the so called cadets. This is a public interest issue which cannot be brushed under the carpet. Tax payers money is being swindled!

      Where are the following promises?

      1. Fertilizer at cheap price? Fertilizer still selling very expensive.
      2. Cheap passports? Passport fee still being charged at sky rocketing price.
      3. One million jobs? Just a gimmick!
      4. People will be eating three times! People are sleeping on empty stomach
      5. The only promise fulfilled so far is this embezzlement of tax payers money with bogus receipts.

      1. @ Otayo mwanena zowona kwambiri. These Tokha mob thinks we are all dunder heads like gulewankulu akadzola zonyasa. Some of us knew all along that those promises were bogus and just a way to sweep into power at the expenses of frustration of the masses. The real story was and is ” ifenso tidye/tilamulire nawo”. Infact at this moment, I cant fathom out the real reason how they are going to govern this country.

      2. You are very bitter and frustrated barely 3 months out of government. Mwaonatu zimawawa anthu akamaba ndalama za misonkho mwaumvetu?
        But wait, some news items are more sensationalistic than factual. Let’s wait as more facts emerge. It will be
        definitely very unfortunate if it is true.

  30. I dont know how truthful tje story is but Kalumbu is dirty, I was shocked how he managed to get that position based on his controversial work history. The man has been let go in several places.

  31. In the first place, whose invoice are these?? Are they for State House? That link is lacking at least. What
    While this is a very good work with finer details, you have missed the opportunity to expose this new thievery at State House. I also wonder whether all this would have happened within the time space between 23rd June (elections day) and 6th July, 2020, around the time the deal seems to have been concluded. To Kalumbu, take care people are watching with all the microscopes they can lay their hands on.

  32. The room rate at other hotelS for the same dates were
    Umodzi hotel 5 star – 75,000
    Sunbird capital – 75,000

    So how can this mwenye charge 300 usd and you are telling me he was not bribing anyone ?

    Govt should ban crossroads from government business to teach them a lesson. This is the only way mwenye will learn .

  33. Mzomera Ngwira 4years in prison because of Less than K1 Million. Let us wait kuti abusa apanga chani ndi awa a K61 Million.

  34. Theft of public funds is bad; as such, it should be condemned to the strongest terms. On a serious note, it is high time we Malawians learnt to treat national security matters with much caution; though we have the freedom of expression. Here is a story dwelling on experts that have been hired to train our security agents on intelligence and a reporter is happy to even mention that in his story. Very sad. I thought that the reporter is concerned with theft of public funds on some foreign individuals; but only to include national security matters; even that of the State President. I thought by including the invoices his story was justified. I am not a journalist myself; but reporting stories with caution would help. It also reminds me of the time when a scandal involving the sale of a Presidential Jet ended up revealing where Malawi was buying its military weapons. I felt that was irresponsible; to say the least. Can’t we find a better means of revealing scandals without compromising our national security? I beg to move that motion.

    1. National security yachani naimwe? A Malawi matubvi thoooo kununkha afunika security yachani? Olo president atamayenda pa njinga yakapalasa palibe angamugende… ndiye pali chifukwa choopelanso apa. Iyaaaa zakuba ndalama in the name of protecting the secrets of state house vilekeke

  36. All Malawians are corrupt and should go back to the villages they came from . I say this because we have this tendency that if a few mwenyes are involved then all are condemned and painted with the same brush and told to go back to where they came from, But is it not supposed to be same when a Malawian commits the same act?

  37. A Kalumbu mwatani? Zamanyazitu izi. Nthawi yomweyi? Kukhala satero. Shame on you. When voted out, we will push you. Just wait

  38. This government is full of professional thieves. It’s not only Kapondamgaga but also Zanga Zanga Chikhosi. He connived with Linda Phiri CEO of NCIC to buy him a top of the range laptop for his personal use at home. How does SPC go to statutory corporations to get laptops instead of OPC? To prove this please send auditors at NCIC. The CEO is busy buying favours from OPC to have her contract, which has not been officially renewed, to go through Chikhosi. This Tonse government will be more of the rubble than the previous governments.

      1. Inde ngati m’mene anaphera wa njinga ya moto uja adapenga organise demo uja….eish anthu ndi ankhanza awa……

    2. Which is more important, the report or the reporter? Ngati ndiwe wa youth shame on you. Chakwela has already fail Malawi.

    3. Why do you want the name of the reporter? If you want to challenge this article go to court and you will be surprised that revelations will come out and Tonse Alliance will be exposed evenmore. This is called investigative journalism. You don’t need to know the name of the journalist nor his sources. I suggest the only reason why someone may be interested to know the name of the journalist is to silence him and prevent Malawians from knowing how public tax money is being embezzled.
      This issue is of public interest! Bring it on Nyasatimes!

  40. Wawa bigman kapondadeya,kypitilizatu dyela lanu la khobidi ngati mmene mwakgala kukupakulila pa farmers Union

  42. Chakwera will do nothing because he hired his relatives at state house and they are the ones involved in clandastunes deals. I heard one who came to buy beer at Ntonga B asking him to inflate the invoices. Corruption now has taken root at state house because those involved are related to Chakwera. I heard Kapondammgaga boast at Church that it’s time to eat because the pastor does not know anything.

  43. In the name of the good Lord, people, Kiza is a well know Car thief, a crook in the highest extreme and had never earned a days honest earning ever. He tried bullshitting to be an IT guru for UDF but was found out, hence jumping to MCP and obviously charmed the MCPbig lads. Ok him aside. This kapondamangaga and kulumba, these two are also highly dishonest people as they also conived with Manuel trindade to do state house maintainance before APM had come to terms that he didn’t win the election. In my opinion these 2 should be fired from state house and a case be opened against them and Kizza Elias and they should face the law. Laz, don’t protect these blatant thieves. Their cash and assets must immediately be seized. Come on tonse, do Malawi and it’s people proud. Don’t condone this thuggery.

  44. Thank you so much for these revelations. This is important. But share proof from the invoices that these are being paid by state House

  46. Hon yeremiah chihana once said that tonse alliance is also plundering public resources some of you thick heads didn’t believe. See for yourselves now.

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