ACB, police mum on frozen, recovered cash-gate funds

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Malawi Police Service (MPS) have refused to disclose the amount of money they have so far recovered or frozen in suspects’ bank accounts over the cash-gate scam that has seen billions of kwacha in public funds looted.

In a response to Weekend Nation questionnaire on Wednesday, ACB senior public relations officer Egrita Ndala said the bureau is still investigating the scam hence, could not divulge the overall amount of funds available in the frozen bank accounts and those possibly recovered in cash.

“The Anti-Corruption Bureau would not be able to divulge the amounts that have been recovered or frozen during the ongoing investigation at Capital Hill as the matters are still being investigated.

“The accounts concerned are those suspected to have held money connected to the investigation,” said Ndala.

In another email response, national police spokesperson Rhoda Manjolo also said police could not reveal overall amounts of funds recovered or frozen in the process of investigating the cash-gate.

Prior to the shooting of Ministry of Finance former budget director Paul Mphwiyo, police arrested civil servant Patrick Sithole after allegedly finding him with K120 million (about $300 000) in a matter which has since been connected to Mphwiyo’s shooting.

Among others, police also arrested civil servant Martha Banda whom they found with K7.8 million (about $19 500) at her home in Lilongwe.

Police have also retrieved US$184 000 (about K75 million) in cash from a safe box at First Merchant Bank (FMB) belonging to attempted murder suspect Pika Manondo.