JB’s jet linked to Paramount Group
Now we can reveal that authoritative information we have assembled so far shows that ownership of the jet President Joyce Banda has been using on her recent sojourns points to Paramount Group.
There is also strong evidence that the jet President Banda is using is the same one former president Bingu wa Mutharika was using, but which she sold mid this year ostensibly to cut costs—a move that won her international applauds as the epitome of prudential executive leadership.
Information Nation on Sunday had retrieved from LAASDATA.COM, (http://www.laasdata.com/) which calls itself the aviation enthusiast’s website for its prowess in tracking down aircrafts globally, shows the various changes in the details of the jet in question as it changed ownership over time.
The website says the jet’s current registration is ZS-FCI, describes the aircraft type as Dassault Falcon 900EX and its serial number as 38.
Significantly, the website says the jet’s immediate past registration is 7Q-ONE—the number that was assigned to the presidential jet that Mutharika was using—and that before it changed hands to Malawi, its registration was N901MD/N68CG.
Paramount/Fortune Air Fleet (http://www.fortuneair.co.za/services.html), which Nation on Sunday investigations show operates the jet, is a company linked to Paramount Group, the firm that is the beneficiary of the President’s lucrative arms deal and sponsor of her now cancelled public relations arrangement with Bell Pottinger.
The information comes a week after the presidency said the jet was provided by ‘well-wishers’ without strings attached, an assertion analysts dismissed, arguing that the so-called well-wishers have their reasons for supporting the President.
As the arms and public relations deals show, Paramount Group is not in town to provide free lunches.
The jet is a Falcon 900 EX, registration number ZS-FCI.
It is currently on sale and being advertised by South Africa brokers, Wentworth & Affiliates Incorporated.
It appears on an online pilot shop AVCOM after being photographed at a privately owned international airport north of Randburg and Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“Found this new addition to the RSA register ZS-FCI Falcon 900 EX ex-Malawi Presidential Jet, another one of the Paramount/Fortune Air Fleet,” reads a caption of the jet on http://www.avcom.co.za.
Full details and pictures of the plane are found on http://www.wentworth.aero which advertises the aircraft as having an excellent pedigree and maintenance.
The website details the Falcon as having the following features: aviator 350 swift broadband Internet with wi-fi, maintained by Dassault, La Bourget France; gross weight increase mod, aircell axxess flight phone, forward crew Lau, low utilisation and fresh paint.
Presidential press secretary Steven Nhlane refused to comment on the matter when contacted on Wednesday.
But Nhlane last week said the plane belonged to the President’s well-wishers.
Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported last month that the Ichikowitz Family Foundation—a subsidiary of Paramount Group—was paying British public relations firm Bell Pottinger to help rebuild President Banda’s image and in particular to regain donor confidence after the cashgate fallout.
The Daily Telegraph dug further and found that Banda has commissioned seven interceptor boats from Paramount Group which will be fitted with arms to patrol Lake Malawi; a deal critics say did not follow Malawi’s procurement processes.
As well as taking orders for military hardware, Ichikowitz, according to the paper, through a private equity firm called Trans Africa Capital, is also understood to have signed agriculture and fuel contracts with the Malawi Government.
British Virgin Islands Company’s Bohnox Enterprise Limited was the one government said bought the plane from Malawi at $15 million, $5 million less than what it was initially valued. It is not clear how the jet ended up in the Fortune Air fleet.
Ivor Ichikowitz was born in 1966 in the mining town of Springs in South Africa where he experienced first-hand the many challenges of the country’s transition.
During the past twenty years Ichikowitz has developed a number of businesses across the African continent – spanning defence and aerospace, mining, oil and gas, agriculture and sustainable development, property, retail and tourism.
Ichikowitz founded Paramount Group in 1994. The company operates in the global defence, internal security and peacekeeping industries.
The Paramount Group manufactures a range of armoured vehicles and deals in surplus South African military equipment, including fighter aircraft.
In 2011 Paramount Group launched the AHRLAC, due to take its first flight in 2013. Paramount Group operates in countries in the Middle East, South America and Africa, as well as in India.
In addition to his role at Paramount Group, Ichikowitz is the executive chairman of private equity group TransAfrica Capital, which invests in scientific research and development projects.
Another flight by Zuma to United States on an aircraft owned by Ichikowitz in 2011 caused considerable controversy when the cost of R6.3 million was questioned in parliament.The official presidential aircraft, operated by the South African Air Force, was not available for the flight.
Ichikowitz has also been criticised for his involvement in the controversial Oil-for-Food Programme in the aftermath of the Gulf War. WIKIPEDIA
Manufactured by Paramount Group
The Advanced High-Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC) is a revolutionary new South African-designed and developed aircraft, destined for a significant role in a wide range of civilian and military tasks around the world.
Developed by Paramount Group AHRLAC is set to take the aviation market by storm, challenging dominant Western manufacturers with its multi-role applications, low acquisition cost, reduced requirement for maintenance support and extensive operational capabilities.
AHRLAC offers a highly flexible form of mission configurable payload system which enables it to be transformed quickly between operational roles. It can stay in the air for more than seven hours, making it the ideal solution for patrolling large land areas, borders and oceans.
The two-crew aircraft can carry out a wide range of operations including surveillance, policing, border/coastal patrol and anti-smuggling; armed patrol and counter insurgency operations; disaster relief and emergency supply to remote areas; and intelligence gathering.
The Nation and Caroline Somanje, many thanks for this report!
Steve Nhlane angati chiyani after being caught pants down. They were misleading Malawians and now they have been exposed. Our parliament is the most useless parliament in the world with more than ¾ of the members below acceptable literacy level to be representatives of constituents. They are only interested in money and no wonder they can’t impeach this woman. Malawi is in the hands of mafias and most of the things surrounding public figures like Joice are shredded in secrecy. I salute the Nation for putting the pride of our country ahead of personal benefits which seems to have swallowed our media houses.
What a stupid one sided report.
1 The aircraft may have once belonged to Malawi. I doesn’t now. The money put into the people.
2 Joyce Banda now flies for no cost to Malawi.
3. Joyce Banda places Malawi on the world stage – very important for Malawi to be seen as a leader by donor countries.
4 Can anyone dispute that Malawi needs naval strength.
5 What contracts have Transafrica signed with the government? – the answer is NONE
So what’s this in this story? the work of a smart president!
A president who has busted the corruption wide open.
wake up!!!!
@ Joseph, you’re one hell of a thief together with your JB Administration. If you’re in this for money, as opposed to serving your country…. dammit, you’ve lost it. You seem to be another salvage. What more evidence do you need? Just be quite because you’re just making fool of yourself…
Joseph, ndiwe chitsiru kwambiri wamva? Malawi is a landlocked country- what a stupid “naval strength” are u referring to? Do we need your so-called “naval strength” above the major challenges as: hunger, poverty, illiteracy and unemployment? You have no love for our country, galu!
Josephy, what type of a head do u have. U must be brainless
Joseph is not just a thief but a fool who has no love for Malawi
Che Joseqph you are not just a thief but also a fool who has no love for Malawi
well the jet was never sold but just hiden in south african and being offered for hire it is being managed by a south african company for the hiring out, and there another company brokering it for sale, it is still available for abuse by joyce banda who deceived people that she is getting rid of it, incl donors. then lied she is uses a jet from a friend/wellwisher which means if sold she sold it to a friend
DONT BE FOOLED MALAWI DOES NOT NEED A NAVAL DEFENCE, MODERN WAR DEFENDS ON AIR SUPERIORITY, AIR ATTACK ASSETS(AICRAFTS) ARE WHAT WIN WARS , im in US Army koma kwathu nkonkuno, if we get into a war, we take the war to the enemies turf, easiest way to fight him is to weaken his defence, destroy his air assets and bases. WAKE UP MODERN WAR IS AIR ONLY, BOMB ALL THE ENIMIES BARRACKS FROM AIR, MABOTIWO NDI OWEDZERA NSOMBA
tiziwezimenezi!!! we don’t want to be fooled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Because you do not agree with someones position or views on a subject does not give you the right to be verbally abusive, insulting or derogatory.