By Emmanuel Chilemba & Wezzie Gausi
The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has arrested customs clearing agent Rhoda Ndovie for allegedly committing customs offenses.
According to MRA Head of Corporate Affairs Wilma Chalulu, the suspect, who operates as Limu Clearing, is alleged to have falsified goods’ quantity and value, leading to tax evasion of over K300 million.
In a statement, she alleges that investigators established that the suspect “falsified” import documents by changing the importer’s documents, substituting the name from Alliance for Democracy (Aford)/Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to Rhoda Ndovie-Chigomezgo and Bongani Investments.
“MRA further conducted a search at the premises of Mr. Enock Chihana [Aford) president], where the goods were allegedly offloaded. The investigation is ongoing.
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“MRA will further pursue the matter to its logical conclusion and take appropriate legal action under the tax laws where evidence of wrongdoing is established,” the statement reads.
On Tuesday, the tax collection body’s officials conducted a search at the residence of Chihana in Area 9, Lilongwe, in relation to the same.
According to a search warrant issued by Lilongwe Principal Resident Magistrate Benjamin Chulu, MRA officers were authorised to enter Chihana’s premises and take possession of some items.
“All business documents, being bank statements, loan agreements, contracts, chequebooks, invoices, suppliers and employees’ list, receipts, business records, gas receipts, importation documents, cashbooks, payment vouchers, and other related hard as well as electronic documents [are covered],” the warrant states.
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It also extended the search to computers, phones, electronic devices, and any other material relevant to their investigation.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the MRA officers did not find anything mentioned in the search warrant, and consequently refused to further tamper with unrelated items.
According to reports, the warrant is connected to a recent consignment of imported T-shirts and other campaign materials.
Earlier this week, Aford officials claimed that the government was politically persecuting their president over allegations of importing party cloth without paying taxes.
The party further said the persecution extended to its alliance partner, DPP.
Aford spokesperson Annie Maluwa confirmed that individuals associated with MRA visited the home of Chihana.
“They came to search for party materials that passed through the borders in full view of MRA workers and with all charges duly paid. We discourage any form of tax evasion and everything on our side is in order,” she said.
Maluwa alleged that some of the people that stormed Chihana’s residence were not genuine MRA officials.
“This is political persecution and nothing else. We, as Aford, are not shaken with these useless assertions that this failed government has brought into our well-planned campaign,” she said.
DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba told The Daily Times this week that his party had not faced the search.
Political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche indicated on Wednesday that MRA’s move came at a politically sensitive time, just weeks before the elections.
“The timing of the search says everything,” he said.
On Tuesday, Chihana’s lawyer, Nkhwima Mchizi, said the search was carried out but no documents were taken.
“The warrant was about documents, both physical and electronic, that relate to my client’s businesses and tax affairs. The MRA team did not find anything.
“At some point, they attempted to extend their search to clothing, which was not part of the warrant, and we stopped them,” Mchizi said.
Prior to the controversy, Chihana told the press that his party had procured more cloth for its supporters than any other party in the country.
He said the purchase was financed through a loan as part of efforts to make Aford highly visible on the campaign trail.
