Raphael Kasambara
Malawi

Court in Malawi finds Namata, Kasama guilty of Cashgate offenses in spite of being defended by Kasambara

Maravi Post Reporter
Raphael Kasambara
Raphael Kasambara from Minister to accused attempted Murderer

LILONGWE, Malawi, January 21 (MaraviPost): The High Court in Lilongwe has found two business men, Maxwell Namata and Luke Kasama guilty of theft and money laundering charges in which they attained money amounting to MK 24 Million from the government through illegal encashment of cheques for goods and services they did not offer.

The two who own, Cross Marketing Company were found guilty by Justice Annabel Mtalimanja.

So far, the two had their bail revoked and their sentencing is slated for 2nd February prior to mitigation arguments submission on 29 January.

Namata and Kasama were found guilty despite being represented by famed defense Lawyer Ralph Kasambara who is also answering various charges in the Cashgate scandal.

The two were arrested by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) last year.

So far, only two people, former Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism Treza Namathanga Senzani as well former government assistant accountant Victor Sithole are serving jail terms after pleading guilty and avoiding long trials

Senzani was jailed to three years imprisonment for pleading guilty of theft and money laundering of money amounting to MK6 Million.

Sithole was sentenced to nine years for found guilty of being found in possession of unexplained cash suspected to have been stolen amounting to K112 million, $31 800 (about K13.6 million) and R122 400 (about K4.5 million) in hard cash which was found at his house in Area 47 in September last year.

Court is yet to sentence Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Deputy Director of Youth Wyson Zinyemba Soko on charges related to the Cashgate, whose sentencing stalled due to the strike by support staffs at the judiciary.

Soko was found in possession of K40.9 million ($90 000), attained in corrupt ways Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa was told that the accused received K40.9 million through his company Watipaso General Dealers from the Ministry of Tourism, something which according to state witness was not true as his company never had a contract with the government.

Over 70 people are answering various charges in the Cashgate crackdown whose sums are now pegged around MK24 Billion in the report from Baker Tilly.

This comes amid pressure from the donor community to the Malawi government to have all the mess linked to the country`s undisputable biggest financial scandal cleaned.