ACB seizes Sattar plots
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has seized 10 plots in Lilongwe belonging to United Kingdom-based businessperson Zuneth Sattar and his associates.
Sattar is facing graft charges both in Malawi and the UK where he was arrested in September 2021 by National Crime Agency (NCA) and granted bail later.
In notices published in yesterday’s The Nation newspaper, the notices showed that ACB made 10 applications in the High Court of Malawi for preservation orders against Sattar and his associates.
The court, according to the adverts, granted the bureau its wishes to preserve the listed properties and further granted seizure orders. The cases are between ACB director general as claimant and Sattar and his associates as defendants.
One order involving ACB director general, Sattar and others reads: “Upon hearing counsel Benjamin Mandala appearing for the applicant; and upon hearing sworn statement of Shadreck Mpaso filed in support of the application for the preservation order and skeleton arguments attached thereto.
“It is hereby ordered and directed that plot No. Bwaila 4/445 be preserved and the defendant, his agents or any other person acting on behalf of the defendant are restrained from dealing in any way with this piece of land.”
The court further ordered that the plot be seized in accordance with Section 65(3) of the Financial Crimes Act.
The rest of the orders also directed seizure of the plots, meaning those concerned are deprived access to the plots located in Njewa, Alimaunde and Bwaila.
The bureau on December 31 2021 arrested former minister of Lands Kezzie Msukwa for allegedly receiving bribes from an associate of Sattar, Nair Ashok, to acquire land both in strategic uptown areas and on the outskirts of Lilongwe.
Msukwa lost his ministerial position following the arrest. Ashok was also arrested and granted bail later. The two are currently challenging the constitutionality of their arrests and the case is running.
Meanwhile, Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba interdicted ACB director general Martha Chizuma on Wednesday in connection with a leaked audio in which Chizuma was discussing an investigation on Sattar with a third party.
