BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Blantyre based businessman Abdul Lido Karim Batatawala of African Agency and Reliance Trading has been left in the cold after failing to claim MK378,400,000 which he rendered to Adamson Joseph Mkandawire Chief Advisor on Road Development for President Lazarus Chakwera.
Karim Batatawala who is fighting with Malawi government for MK52 billion after bogus claims at Immigration Department sued Mkandawire and other two; Maxwell Kalamula Deputy Chief of Staff at State House and Mr. Shyley Kondowe another Presidential Aide to pay back the money.
According to the court documents in our possession the Batatawala is said to have given the trio the money in March 2021 that would be paid back after the deal was done.
The Asian businessman is also claiming 4 percent contractual interest above the bank lending rate in addition to legal collection cost on indemnity based on the sums and general damages for breach of contract.
This was filed on July 22, 2021 by Karim’s lawyers Kuleza Phokoso of Phokoso and Company.
But Mkandawire has vehemently denied of receiving the money through Batatawala’s agent Fulwala
Muhammad Kasam Abdul Majid to ferry cargo on chartered flight from Kenya to Lilongwe, Malawi.
The presidential aid claims that Batawalala is flaming him on the matter.
However, the case No 292 of 2021 under Justice Dr. Mtambo in The High Court of Malawi Commercial Division between Batatawala (defendant) and Mkandawire (claimant) has been set for mediation hearing on October 26, 2021 at 10:00am via zoom.
In June this year, former Malawi President Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) tdistanced his government from words going around that his government had cleared one Abdul Karim Batatawala from matters related to corruption and money laundering.
Former attorney general (AG) Kalekeni Kaphale also distanced himself from Batatawala’s assertion that his MK53 billion claim in the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services uniforms’ supplies case was ever considered for an out-of-court settlement during his tenure of office.
Two companies owned by Batatawala, namely Africa Commercial Agency and Reliance Trading Company, are claiming K53 billion payment for an initial MK9 billion contract to supply uniforms to the department.
