LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)—The High Court Judge Fiona Mwalein the capital Lilongwe on Monday, June 27, sentenced another cashgate convict Caroline Savala to seven years in jail with hard labour for defrauding Malawi government money worthy MK85 million.This follows thorough scrutiny of all the mitigation presented in the court by defense team after the cashgate convict Savala was found guilty of theft and money laundering on July 17, 2015.
According to the court records, Savala stole MK85 million in the infamous cashgate saga through fraudulent act of having cash from public funds without tendering goods and services to government.
Passing the sentence, Judge Mwale describe Savala as a trickster citing the engineering company which she claims was registered with the purpose of stealing from the government.
This was because the company was registered hastily considering that her initial business was a small enterprise which was selling lipsticks.
Despite the absence of Savalas legal team led by Ralphael Kasambara, Mwale gave Savala three years and seven years jail term for theft and money laundering respectively.
Judge Mwale said that no reason given for Kasambara’s absence during the final court’s verdict describing the conduct as a sign of not interested in defending the convict hence passing of the judgment.
This was also despite the 48 hours given by the court for the defense team to present their mitigating factors.
Mwale also observed that factors which were given later in court were said to be weak and lacking integrity.
Savala 33, joins jail term gallows of other cashgaters including Osward Lutepo, Sithole, and Katengeza among others.
The states cashgate Special prosecutor, Kamudoni Nyasulu minced no words over the sentence saying the state was satisfied considering the gravity of the case.
Prosecutor Nyasalu further revealed that the state intends to recover some of the money from her assets, being kept by another cashgate thief Leonard Kalonga and accomplice Florence Chatuwa.