Lazarus Chakwera demands George Chaponda’s arrest
Leader of Opposition Lazarus Chakwera has said President Peter Mutharika should immediately direct law-enforcement agencies to hold consultations with the Speaker of Parliament on the lawful procedures for taking fired Agriculture Minister George Chaponda into custody for questioning.
Chakwera said the authorities should question Chaponda about the source of the money found in his house.
When Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officers raided Chaponda’s house in Lilongwe’s Area 43, in an exercise connected to investigations on the suspicious purchase of maize from Zambia, they found a stash of money, reportedly to be in excess of K166 million, in various currencies.
Addressing a news conference in Lilongwe on Friday, Chakwera said law-enforcement agencies such as the ACB and police should also trace the names of agencies that facilitated the internal movement of such a large amount of cash.
“No credible police would raid a home and confiscate things considered illegal to possess without taking the person found in possession of them into custody. Until Mutharika does this, he has done nothing,” Chakwera said.
He also said in view of the fact that a high ranking member of Mutharika’s Cabinet has been caught in possession of millions, Mutharika should direct the agencies to conduct similar searches on the properties of all Cabinet ministers.
“The President must direct the Financial Intelligence Unit [sic] to examine the personal bank accounts of every member of his Cabinet; and immediately direct the National Intelligence Bureau to place every member of his Cabinet under surveillance until the Malawian people are given assurances that no other minister of government is using their position to conduct undocumented transactions for personal enrichment. Until Mutharika does this, he has done nothing,” he said.
The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader has also demanded that Mutharika takes disciplinary measures to publicly censure some public officials including Reserve Bank of Malawi governor Charles Chuka and Secretary for Agriculture Erica Maganga for perjury.
“We demand that President Mutharika takes disciplinary measures to remove every official of the Malawi Government at Admarc who had a hand in any fraudulent, unauthorised, or unlawful activities of Admarc in the course of facilitating the maize deal, including members of Admarc’s Internal Procurement Committee. Until Mutharika does this, he has done nothing,” MCP leader said.
Mutharika fired Chaponda on Wednesday after his involvement in Zambia maize procurement process was found inappropriate, suspicious and raising some corrupt issues.
A vibrant writer who gives a great insight on hot topics and issues
