BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—As revelations of state plunder in previous Peter Mutharika administration continues to haunt Many Malawians, it has also been established that the number of bags of duty-free cement allegedly imported by the former president has jumped to 1.2 million from the initial figure 400 000.
According to The Daily Times the batch is an equivalent of 2,000 thirty-tonner articulated trucks carrying a maximum of 600 cement bags each.
The local paper indicates that the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) gave Mutharika the clearance to make the duty-free cement importations in three tranches, each of the consignment valued at $2.240 million bringing the total cost of the three consignments to $6.720 million (about K5.040 billion).
The first clearance was made on November 28 2018 while the second clearance was given on July 1 2019. The third clearance was issued on December 16 2019 and was all signed by MRA Deputy Commissioner, Technical – Customs and Excise, Abigail Kawamba.
The Daily Times reveals that in a letter dated November 28 2018, Kawamba wrote former Director General of State Residences, Peter Mukhito informing him of MRA Commissioner General’s approval to clear the first consignment.
In another letter to Mukhito dated July 1 2019 and titled Duty Free Clearing of 400,000 bags of Cement for His Excellency the State President Prof Arthur Peter Mutharika, Kawamba gave another go ahead to State House to import more cement.
On December 16 2019, Kawamba wrote Mukhito again acknowledging receipt of a letter dated the same day for duty free clearance of another 20,000 tonnes of cement.
According to MRA declaration form number 12 dated August 22 2019, the consignment was cleared using declaration number C4071 at Mchinji Border Past and was imported by Mahmed Shafee Ahmed Chunara of P.O. Box 1528, Lilongwe.
The declaration form shows that Chunara’s Taxpayer ’s Identification Number is 31060073.
Chunara operates Melton Hardware and also trades under Prestige Import and Exports.
It is alleged that different business tycoon in the country have been importing duty-free goods using Mutharika’s TPIN.
MRA Deputy Commissioner General Roza Mbilizi was last Friday arrested for clearing imported bags of cement under President Mutharika’s TPIN.
Last month, it was revealed that former President Peter Mutharika imported 400,000 bags of cement worth K3.2 billion without paying duty between 2018 and 2019.
While Mutharika, as president at the time, was allowed by the law to import items for personal use without paying duty, the amount of bags of cement raised concerns leading to the probe.
Mbilizi is embroiled in the scandal because she facilitated clearance of the duty-free cement.
According to reports, Mbilizi’s relation Lodzani Fatchi also used Mutharika’s duty free status to import cement which he later sold. Other goods were also imported into the country without duty being paid.
Former Presidential Press Secretary, Mgeme Kalilani, last month defended Mutharika, saying the cement importations were within the law and described the cement as for personal use.
“The goods were imported under the Presidents (Salaries and Benefits) Act chapter 2 sub-section 2 part 7 of the schedule. Under this law, the President is entitled to import goods for personal use duty-free,” Kalilani said.