Govt wants cashgaters to face life in jail
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Fahad Assani says Malawi Government will soon ask the courts trying suspects in the Capital Hill looting, widely known as cashgate, to hand out life sentences to those found guilty.
Speaking yesterday during the commemoration of the National Anti-Corruption Day at the Bingu International Conference Centre (Bicc) in Lilongwe, Assani said that in 1970s when there was a similar revelation of theft of public funds at Capital Hill, government enacted a law to impose life imprisonment terms on public servants who were found guilty of stealing in excess of K80 000 (about $200).
In his address to an audience that included President Joyce Banda, donors’ representatives, private sector players and civil society representatives, Assani argued that based on the same law, those public servants who embezzled public funds amounting to between K2 000 (about $2) and K80 000 (about $200) were sentenced to between two and 14 years in jail.
He said: “We [government] are going to ask the courts to say whoever is found guilty should be imprisoned for life. Be lest assured that courts will impose life sentences to these people.”
In his speech, Assani named Joyce Banda as the first President of Malawi to genuinely lead government efforts in fighting the deep-rooted corruption in the country.
He said in 2011, Malawians heard about an assistant accountant who accumulated over K400 million in his personal account and despite investigations revealing a well-organised syndicate, the audit was quickly suppressed when the matter was brought to the attention of the then government.
Assani also expressed gratitude to Treasury for releasing K65 million to be used in the continuing investigations and prosecution of cases on the looting of government resources at Capital Hill.
On her part, the President described cashgate revelations as “a national tragedy” and condemned those involved in the looting of public funds.
Banda deplored the use of public resources for self-enrichment by public servants and reminded all civil servants that the positions they are holding are meant to serve ordinary Malawians at large.
Banda said government’s electronic payment system, the Integrated Financial Management Information System (Ifmis), was abused from 2005 when it was first installed, adding that the looting was first discovered in 2010 and investigations in the 2010 cases were for no apparent reason halted.
Earlier, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director Rizine Mzikamanda said the 2014 commemorations, under the theme ‘Break the silence: Stop corruption’, give all Malawians an opportunity to reflect on our efforts to fight corruption and also evaluate the impact of corruption on our society.
Cashgate revelations came to light following the shooting on September 13 2013 of then Ministry of Finance budget director Paul Mphwiyo at the gate of his Area 43 residence in Lilongwe. That time, Chief Secretary to the Government Hawa Ndilowe described ‘cashgate’ as a breakthrough.
Refer to the law and not history.
Someone suggested your grasp of the law is suspect; I agree. Does the law provide for life sentences for theft of public resources?
And the K80,000 that Kamuzu govt refered to in this law is not equal to Usd200. It is equal to over Usd80,000 because by then, K1 was equal to 1 British Pound. Its you PEE PEE fools who made the kwacha so weak. Dunderheads of a govt and no wonder the cashgaters are just laughing at your hopelessness.
And the value of that by then could buy you 3 houses in area 10. I am sure with such mentality and shallow thinking of our Fahad Assan Malawi judiciary can ably handle the cash gate. Imagine Kasambla is making this fellow Minister to dance with his case. Fahad’s speech was to please his boss the president JB and it was political and not professional. The problem is our Minister is vying to become an MP under PP.
This cash gate thing will never materialise into convictions as our Min of Justice thinks. JB is involved and is the key cash gater. All what she is paying is lip service. Where are the buses that were bought with cash gate money? They are no longer at area 30 police. Why are they failing to confiscate Lutepo’s vehicles? JB stop mentioning about being a Christian, you are satanic x 100.
People, don’t you wonder that the vice president and all cabinet ministers are not talking about this apart from JB, Asani and in a scanty way Brown. This is fake. First of all clean your cabinet and some PP big fish like Homphly Makande, then we will begin to believe what you preach.
PP, i trust that you still have the word shame in your vocabularly. Handover the vehicles that Liutepo donated. No one will take you seriously if the Lutepo cars are still in your posession.
Talking & doing r 2 different things we (malawian) r good at speaking ok tiziona mmene zithera u’l hav my vot if u end this case mokomera aliyese but all n al i thank u madam president & ur govt 4 making us know that there z cashgate
The Malawi economy has been badly dented by the thieving rascals and the poor masses are dying because of hardships wrought on them by the suspension of aid. Jail everyone for life without fear or favour and this will be the only way that will bring sanity to the sticky fingered persons who are always looking for a quick buck. With the numerous death of the innocent poor masses, even a sentence hogher than life would be much deserving to be mated on these ruthless scoundrels.