By Rebecca Chimjeka:
Police in Lilongwe have arrested Rwandan businessman Sylvester Bizimana, 45, for allegedly laundering money.
Malawi Police Service spokesperson Peter Kalaya confirmed the development Sunday.
“It is true that we have arrested Sylvester Bizimana, who will appear in court on Monday [today]. Detectives were following up on information that the suspect is allegedly involved in money laundering and that, on the day [he was arrested], he had huge sums of money.
“Following a tip off, an undercover team intercepted the suspect at Salima Turn-off Petroda Filling Station, where the arrest and seizure of K30,750,000 were made,” Kalaya said.
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Last week, High Court Judge Howard Pemba declined Bizimana’s application for a judicial review against Ministry of Homeland Security, which wanted to remove a shipping container belonging to the suspect, who plies his trade at Mgona area in Lilongwe.
Bizimana has been claiming to be a Malawian citizen, pointing out that he followed all due processes to become a citizen.
He attached evidence for the court, including his national Identity Card, a certificate of naturalisation as a citizen of Malawi and tax clearance certificate from the Malawi Revenue Authority.
But the court discharged the interlocutory injunction it had earlier given him, dated May 25 2023.
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Last week, the government disclosed that out of the 2,000 refugees that were expected to return to Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa District, it managed to relocate 1,972. These include refugees who were staying outside the camp but have left for Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa.
The Immigration Department told the Defence Committee of Parliament that they cleared out 503 refugees and asylum seekers since the relocation exercise of refugees started last month.
Acting Regional Immigration Officer for the Central Region Alexander Maseko told the committee that out of the 503 people that have been cleared, 14 have been found with proper documentation to stay in the country and only one person is eligible to become a Malawian citizen after paying the required $20,000 (about K20 million].
