Former president Bakili Muluzi currently seeking asylum in the UK. He is a man whose past one may not be proud of.By Lucy Liponda
Former President of the Republic of Malawi Bakili Muluzi has gone into exile in the United Kingdom following a pile of high level cases that may see the former leader spend years in jail, Malawi Digest can reveal.
Muluzi has a chain of court cases running from fraud, corruption, abuse of office and debts among many other problems facing him.
Close family members have spoken of Muluzi’s intention to stay in the United Kingdom in order to get away from being prosecuted.
A close family member told Malawi Digest on Saturday afternoon that chances of Muluzi coming back after his medical attention are very slim.
“When he was going to the UK, he got all his basic things and those of us closer to him have been told he is not coming back to Malawi,” he said.
The family member revealed that had it not been for the Malawi government to stop him earlier from leaving, Muluzi would have disappeared a long time ago to the United Kingdom.
The member added, the latest request for extension of time for his stay in the UK is just part of his delaying tactics so that he finds a proper country to stay.
“He is currently negotiating with the British for asylum but that Queens government is not buying Muluzi’s reasons for asylum,” said our source who last spoke to Muluzi on Wednesday this week.
The member said that in their telephone conversation on the line from the United Kingdom, Muluzi appealed for prayers from family members so that his asylum application is approved.
Our source further disclosed that if the British refuse Muluzi to stay in their country, the former President has already been welcomes to stay in Libya, Morocco, United Arab Emirates and the Taiwan.
“All these countries have said he can go and stay there if he so wishes,” said our source.
The uncovering of these plans for asylum by Muluzi, come only a few days after the former leader applied for an extension of his stay in the United Kingdom.
Previously, Muluzi had told the courts in Malawi that he would stay in the UK for medical attention for a period of three months up until early September.
However in a twist of events, Muluzi through his lawyers Tamando Chokotho and Jai Banda applied to the High Court to have an extension of his stay in England up to December.
In an interview with Malawi Digest on Saturday afternoon an official in the British High Commission in Malawi said so far, the Malawi office has not heard anything on the application for asylum by Muluzi.
“If he is applying for asylum, he must be dealing with the Home Office and once the issue is in motion our office in Malawi will be informed accordingly,” said the British official who did not want to be named.
He said that whilst he appreciates that Muluzi has got a right to apply for asylum like any other individual wanting to stay in the UK, Muluzi is unlikely to be granted the asylum status he is looking for.
“This is a person who is running away from a high level corruption case and several other serious cases, the British government does not grant asylum status to anybody who is running away from prosecution,” said the British official.
Malawi Digest was unable to get a comment from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) as the numbers for its Director Alex Nampota could not be reached all Saturday afternoon until we went to bed.
Meanwhile, Malawi Digest understands that apart from his son Atupele Muluzi and his wife Patricia Muluzi, the rest of Muluzi’s closest family members especially children are all in the UK with their father.
His son Atupele Muluzi is mature enough and stays on his own whilst Patricia Muluzi was left behind as a proof to the courts that he was not running away.
Fears of Muluzi running away into exile were first disclosed to the Malawi High Court by ACB boss Alex Nampota who said he had come across information that Muluzi was trying to flee the country.
As a result of this development, through a High Court order, the ACB confiscated some of Muluzi’s property including his BCA Hill residence, 44 vehicles and managed to have all his accounts frozen
Muluzi is suspected to have stole MK1.7 billion meant for poor Malawian into his personal accounts.
Muluzi has always said that true these huge sums of money were found in his account but that the money belonged to him-Malawi Digest.
Former President of the Republic of Malawi Bakili Muluzi has gone into exile in the United Kingdom following a pile of high level cases that may see the former leader spend years in jail, Malawi Digest can reveal.
Muluzi has a chain of court cases running from fraud, corruption, abuse of office and debts among many other problems facing him.
Close family members have spoken of Muluzi’s intention to stay in the United Kingdom in order to get away from being prosecuted.
A close family member told Malawi Digest on Saturday afternoon that chances of Muluzi coming back after his medical attention are very slim.
“When he was going to the UK, he got all his basic things and those of us closer to him have been told he is not coming back to Malawi,” he said.
The family member revealed that had it not been for the Malawi government to stop him earlier from leaving, Muluzi would have disappeared a long time ago to the United Kingdom.
The member added, the latest request for extension of time for his stay in the UK is just part of his delaying tactics so that he finds a proper country to stay.
“He is currently negotiating with the British for asylum but that Queens government is not buying Muluzi’s reasons for asylum,” said our source who last spoke to Muluzi on Wednesday this week.
The member said that in their telephone conversation on the line from the United Kingdom, Muluzi appealed for prayers from family members so that his asylum application is approved.
Our source further disclosed that if the British refuse Muluzi to stay in their country, the former President has already been welcomes to stay in Libya, Morocco, United Arab Emirates and the Taiwan.
“All these countries have said he can go and stay there if he so wishes,” said our source.
The uncovering of these plans for asylum by Muluzi, come only a few days after the former leader applied for an extension of his stay in the United Kingdom.
Previously, Muluzi had told the courts in Malawi that he would stay in the UK for medical attention for a period of three months up until early September.
However in a twist of events, Muluzi through his lawyers Tamando Chokotho and Jai Banda applied to the High Court to have an extension of his stay in England up to December.
In an interview with Malawi Digest on Saturday afternoon an official in the British High Commission in Malawi said so far, the Malawi office has not heard anything on the application for asylum by Muluzi.
“If he is applying for asylum, he must be dealing with the Home Office and once the issue is in motion our office in Malawi will be informed accordingly,” said the British official who did not want to be named.
He said that whilst he appreciates that Muluzi has got a right to apply for asylum like any other individual wanting to stay in the UK, Muluzi is unlikely to be granted the asylum status he is looking for.
“This is a person who is running away from a high level corruption case and several other serious cases, the British government does not grant asylum status to anybody who is running away from prosecution,” said the British official.
Malawi Digest was unable to get a comment from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) as the numbers for its Director Alex Nampota could not be reached all Saturday afternoon until we went to bed.
Meanwhile, Malawi Digest understands that apart from his son Atupele Muluzi and his wife Patricia Muluzi, the rest of Muluzi’s closest family members especially children are all in the UK with their father.
His son Atupele Muluzi is mature enough and stays on his own whilst Patricia Muluzi was left behind as a proof to the courts that he was not running away.
Fears of Muluzi running away into exile were first disclosed to the Malawi High Court by ACB boss Alex Nampota who said he had come across information that Muluzi was trying to flee the country.
As a result of this development, through a High Court order, the ACB confiscated some of Muluzi’s property including his BCA Hill residence, 44 vehicles and managed to have all his accounts frozen
Muluzi is suspected to have stole MK1.7 billion meant for poor Malawian into his personal accounts.
Muluzi has always said that true these huge sums of money were found in his account but that the money belonged to him-Malawi Digest.
At least you should have mentioned the official from British High commission. This shows you havent interviewed any person on this story, mwangopeka. Panya panu.
ReplyDeleteolo muthawe bambo Muluzi komabe muzatipeza,home is best.Get well soon so that the law takes its course.
ReplyDeleteSimudalembe kuti DPP yagwa ma by elections bwanji.
ReplyDeleteWhy is Muluzi runnig away - I thought he was a political engineer, ndiye wataninso munthu wamatama ngati amene uja mpaka kuthawa. Kuba ndikoipa kwabasi.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that independents won in the by elections shows that DPP is an honest party. Nonse mumanama kuti DPP ndiyobera nonse mwasowa chonena. Kagweleni uko
ReplyDeletePoti mwatero ife tilibe mau
ReplyDeleteLeave muluzi alone, Abingu nthawi yanunso yidzafika, chaona mzako chapita mawa chilikwaiwe
ReplyDeleteIf he has nothing to hide...let him go back?
ReplyDeleteMany people in the UK, have scores to settle with him, so he should not expect a free ride here....watching closely!