Former Malawi Budget Director, Paul Mphwiyo, on Friday implicated Minister of Agriculture, Joseph Mwanamvekha, in another Cashgate scandal that led to $30 million (about MK22 Billion) meant for the procurement of weapons for Malawi’s participation in peacekeeping missions, vanish from Government coffers, an independent investigation reveals.
A report by Center for Investigative Journalism Malawi (CIJM), claims that Mphwiyo pointed to Mwanamveka, who this week was moved from Trade to Ministry of Agriculture by President.
In the caution statements to the Malawi Police Service, Mphwiyo is said to have named Mwanamvekha as the person who masterminded the looting of $30 million that the United Nations, refunded to the Malawi Government for money it used to procure weapons for peacekeeping in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to Mphwiyo, an account was opened at the then Malawi Savings Bank (now FDH Bank) where the United Nations allegedly deposited the refund.
‘Mwanamvekha knows something.’
However, the money can no longer be traced, and only Mwanamvekha knows where this money went, Mphwiyo is quoted as saying by CIJM.
Mwanamvekha ignored several calls when CIJM reached to comment on the allegations.
However, investigative research by the Center, shows that there is no record that Mwanamvekha was questioned by the Malawi Police or the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to explain the whereabouts of the cash.
Neither the Malawi Police Service nor the graft-busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau, has probed the mystery surrounding the $30 million refund from the United Nations.
CIJM’s inquiries to both the MPS and ACB, hit a blank wall as officers from the two Government agencies promised to come back with responses, but never did.
According to the Center, Mphwiyo also reaffirms his conviction that former Justice Minister and Attorney General Ralph Kasambara, was the mastermind of the plot to murder him, despite his recent claims that he was forced to implicate the disgraced Justice Minister.
“But in the same statement, the former Budget Director said that Ralph Kasambara was pushing for billions of kwacha in payments to some companies, although owners of those companies were not pushing for the monies themselves” reports CIBM.
It is said Mphwiyo mentioned Delco Terrastone, which was contracted to build Malawi Parliament – constructed with funds from China.
“Mphwiyo said Government paid compensation in full, though he did not specify the amount. Regardless, Kasambara pushed for Mphwiyo to pay an additional MK9 billion Delco Terrastone” adds CIJM.
The Delco case was a default judgment, which the Attorney-General’s office, then headed by Kasambara, did not contest.
Cashgate is a financial scandal involving looting of public funds. It is believed that over half a trillion Kwacha of public funds, were stolen from the Malawi Capital Hill between 2009 and 2013.