President Joyce Banda is yet to provide the Malawi Police Service (MPS) with information on who attempted to assassinate Ministry of Finance budget director Paul Mphwiyo on Friday night in Lilongwe.
Mphwiyo, currently receiving treatment in South Africa after unknown assailants shot at him three times at the gate of his Area 43 residence, is reported to have confided to colleagues at the Ministry of Finance and close friends that he was getting death threats.
The President, speaking on Saturday at a gathering of Muslim women in Lunzu, Blantyre, said she knows who shot Mphwiyo, adding the reasons are that the budget director was about to bust a corruption syndicate.
Banda said Mphwiyo is a victim of her war against corruption, warning whoever stole money meant for purchasing of medicine and construction of school blocks would be brought to book despite the incident.
But as of yesterday, two days after the incident, police said they had not received any information from the State House exposing the culprits.
Lilongwe Police Station spokesperson Kingsley Dandaula said he was not aware of any information from the President regarding the shooting of Mphwiyo, adding Police were still investigating the matter.
He said no arrests have been made so far.
Presidential press secretary Steven Nhlane said yesterday he was not aware if the President has provided any information to police.
Nhlane said the President might have said what she said because of the nature of the victim’s job, but did not mean she was aware that Mphwiyo was under any threat and needed security.
Mphwiyo, according to sources at Ministry of Finance, might have been targeted in connection with his tough public finance and economic management measures that have closed pilfering loopholes at Capital Hill.
