According to reports former president Joyce Banda is scheduled to return home in October from South Africa, where she had been operating from. Same reports said they based this on reports that Hubby Richard Banda was busy looking for housing in Malawi in readiness to the homecoming of Amai.
Stop the Presses, People in the know doubt that this will happen as planned. There are so many reasons to believe that the former President is now in more danger of being prosecuted for Cashgate.
Many court observers believe Oswald Lutepo is being prepped by Mary Kachali to testify against the former President Joyce Banda. According to earlier reporting, sources close to the investigations had indicated that prosecuting agencies held discussions with Lutepo prior to his conviction on K4 billion fraud and money laundering charges.
Lutepo’s lawyer Oswald Mtupila confirmed meetings between Lutepo on one hand and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on the other, regarding Lutepo’s previous claims that he had evidence against former president Joyce Banda.
It is also clear Lawyer Ralph Kasambara is so scared of jail that he will go to any length to stay out. It would therefore not surprise anyone if he will break and offer any information he has against the former President Joyce Banda.
Former President Joyce Banda should not put her fate in lawyerly promises made by Peter Mutharika assuring her that she will not be persecuted when she comes home. She should note that legally President Peter Mutharika cannot stop ACB from prosecuting her if Kachali believes they have enough evidence.
South Africa Jacob Zulu has shown his fondness for the former President and it is very likely he will resist calls from Malawi Government to extradite the former President Joyce Banda.
It is therefore wise for JB to continue staying away from Malawi until she is 100% confident that the DPP government will not persecute her.
