LONDON-(MaraviPost)-Malawian-born businessman Zuneth Sattar dares being ready to stand before the court of law and prove his innocence amid allegations of suspected corrupt dealings with Malawi government.
It follows a list of names of people believed to be under investigation in the United Kingdom (UK) by the National Crimes Agency (NCA) in the ongoing Zuneth Sattar investigation.
Through Simon Farrell QC his lawyer, Sattar says, “it’s a surprise to me that the so called serious case in Malawi is only being talked on social media and people are talking it based on their interest and in the story not what is really on the ground”.
He wondered why people are talking about his name mostly when he was only a supplier and choose not to mention those responsible in making payments, requesting what was supplied, and all the processes that were passed.
“Do you want to tell me that all those agencies are corrupt based on social media reports? Then let’s go to court and see who is corrupt,” he wondered.
The businessman said he is not afraid of any court and he is more than ready to stand before the court to get the case to its end.
“I know who I am and what I do so social media news is nothing to me and the time is coming when the truth shall prevail,” his lawyer explained on his behalf.
Sattar’s remarks comes barely a day after Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima said he will allow all the processes to run accordingly after he was mentioned to be part of alleged allegations of corruption together with some other government officials.
“I won’t comment anything in regards to my name on the case and allow me to allow the processes run properly,” Chilima said while responding to journalists in Mzimba.
According to reports, there has been a three-year-long investigation by Britain’s National Crimes Agency ( NCA) into Sattar’s suspected corrupt dealings with Malawi government which according to the businessman it’s just mere speculations.
The investigation focuses on the businessman’s dealings with both the Peter Muthalika administration and the current Lazarus Chakwera administration.
Sattar believes the move is just there to tarnish his image as he is a major supplier to the Malawi government.
It was only until the UK come up with this that the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Malawi started acting as the businessman was not under any formal investigation by the Bureau.
In addition to that, in December 2015, ACB cleared Sattar’s connected companies from involvement in the 2013 Cashgate scandal.
His lawyer Simon Farrell QC, also made it clear to the court in UK that Sattar is an innocent man of good character and why should his business be turned upside down.
“He’s an international businessman crippled by this,” Farrell said adding that his client had acted properly throughout and believed that NCA case was misconceived.
He further told the court in UK that arguments submitted by the NCA about why bail conditions should not be changed were absurd and there was no evidence to support their claims.
When asked about the condition of his client, Farrell QC said “He is calm, composed, focussing and confident waiting for a day that people will be ashamed.
“It’s funny to note that people are mentioning names of people who don’t even have a hand in awarding contracts, what about those who offer contracts where are their names??? He wondered.
He said investigations done on wrong people won’t yield any results.
“My client was only a supplier you understand, where are those he was dealing with or are they afraid to mention their names?? People will know the truth not today, but eventually that day is coming,” he added.
Meanwhile, Malawi Lawyer Jivason Kadzipatike questions British NCA’s court document legality circulating on social media arguing that the said list of names was cooked from Malawi to criminate others.
