A sickly looking Bakili Muluzi being taken to task by Malawian journalists on why he stole government money. This was after he appeared in court to answer corruption and theft charges. He will now have to explain why he used government money on his private property.By Lucy Liponda
Former president of the Republic of Malawi, Bakili Muluzi used government funds for the construction of his BCA Hill residence, Malawi Digest can reveal.
Muluzi’s BCA Hill residence is in the low density area of Limbe, in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre.
Malawi Digest has obtained some indisputable evidence that Muluzi was siphoning government money to pay for the re-construction and extension of his BCA Hill residence.
Former president of the Republic of Malawi, Bakili Muluzi used government funds for the construction of his BCA Hill residence, Malawi Digest can reveal.
Muluzi’s BCA Hill residence is in the low density area of Limbe, in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre.
Malawi Digest has obtained some indisputable evidence that Muluzi was siphoning government money to pay for the re-construction and extension of his BCA Hill residence.
Muluzi bought BCA Hill residence already constructed but he used government funds to re-construct the building and its surroundings.
In one of the many occasions where the former Head of State tampered with public money during his 10-year term of office, Muluzi instructed the then Ministry of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning to pay about MK1.5 million purportedly for the construction of a helipad at the BCA Hill residence.
Malawi Digest has uncovered that Muluzi’s instructions were passed on to the Ministry through his trusted man, Patrick Yassin who was then Controller for Land Services in the Ministry.
Both Muluzi and Yassin come from the same lake side district of Machinga and the two are reported to very close.
Our sources that were available at the time, have passed on documents to Malawi Digest that at least over MK1.5 million of government funds was paid in 2003 to an individual who sold Muluzi a plot to extend his BCA Hill residence.
According to the revelations, after getting instructions from Muluzi for an extension of his residence, Yassin instructed the Accounts Department in the Ministry to pay over MK1.5 million to one Mrs Chechiwa Khonje (Nee Bwanausi).
The Bwanausis had a plot next to BCA Hill residence and Muluzi had an interest in that in order to extend his residence.
Malawi Digest has uncovered that Muluzi’s instructions were passed on to the Ministry through his trusted man, Patrick Yassin who was then Controller for Land Services in the Ministry.
Both Muluzi and Yassin come from the same lake side district of Machinga and the two are reported to very close.
Our sources that were available at the time, have passed on documents to Malawi Digest that at least over MK1.5 million of government funds was paid in 2003 to an individual who sold Muluzi a plot to extend his BCA Hill residence.
According to the revelations, after getting instructions from Muluzi for an extension of his residence, Yassin instructed the Accounts Department in the Ministry to pay over MK1.5 million to one Mrs Chechiwa Khonje (Nee Bwanausi).
The Bwanausis had a plot next to BCA Hill residence and Muluzi had an interest in that in order to extend his residence.
According information that we have gathered, Mrs Chechiwa Khonje was then staying in the United States of America but her bank account in which the government funds were deposited was in South Africa.
After receiving instructions from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning, the Reserve Bank of Malawi through its Governor Dr Elias Ngalande refused to make the payment after receiving application/payment forms from the Ministry.
Dr Ngalande wrote the ministry that the bank could not make such a huge payment to an individual staying outside the country without any supporting documentation.
After a few days of consultation with Muluzi, Yassin in his capacity as Controller of Land Services wrote a Memo to Dr Ngalande in which he said the money was “Payment for a plot to construct a helipad for BCA Hill residence.” The Memo was attached to the application forms for the payment.
After this Memo, the payment was processed and the money was transferred into the account (withheld) for Mrs Chechiwa Khonje in South Africa.
Almost 7 years after this money was withdrawn from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning government account, BCA Hill has no helipad and Mrs Chechiwa’s plot was only used to extend Muluzi’s mansion. By Law, nobody is allowed to use government money for his personal gains or acquiring property.
On many occasions, Muluzi has denied that he never stole any government money but the uncovering of this scam has proved otherwise.
Meanwhile, Bakili Muluzi's BCA Hill residence is in the hands of the corruption busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau who confiscated it as part of a surety for Muluzi to travel to the United Kingdom where he is currently based.
After receiving instructions from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning, the Reserve Bank of Malawi through its Governor Dr Elias Ngalande refused to make the payment after receiving application/payment forms from the Ministry.
Dr Ngalande wrote the ministry that the bank could not make such a huge payment to an individual staying outside the country without any supporting documentation.
After a few days of consultation with Muluzi, Yassin in his capacity as Controller of Land Services wrote a Memo to Dr Ngalande in which he said the money was “Payment for a plot to construct a helipad for BCA Hill residence.” The Memo was attached to the application forms for the payment.
After this Memo, the payment was processed and the money was transferred into the account (withheld) for Mrs Chechiwa Khonje in South Africa.
Almost 7 years after this money was withdrawn from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning government account, BCA Hill has no helipad and Mrs Chechiwa’s plot was only used to extend Muluzi’s mansion. By Law, nobody is allowed to use government money for his personal gains or acquiring property.
On many occasions, Muluzi has denied that he never stole any government money but the uncovering of this scam has proved otherwise.
Meanwhile, Bakili Muluzi's BCA Hill residence is in the hands of the corruption busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau who confiscated it as part of a surety for Muluzi to travel to the United Kingdom where he is currently based.
Bakili Muluzi is currently being prosecuted for depositing into his personal bank accounts about MK1.7 billion of donor funds meant for the government and the people of Malawi.
Muluzi through his lawyer Fahad Assani has accepted depositing the said huge amounts of money in his personal accounts but the lawyer says that he is going to prove in court that the money belonged to Muluzi-Malawi Digest.
Baba its really tru and nobody can doubt about the BCA.Koma akulu amenewa chilipo anapanga chabwinobwino?Let the court take its rule coz he is a thief like tobacco buyers.Watibera nthawi yaitari let the law take its course.
ReplyDeleteApa pali zoti a Bakili nkukananso apa? Full evidence provideed here. Arrest the thief.
ReplyDeletekoma abale a Malawi Digest ndiye mwaza hard. How do you manage to uncover all this info? we thank you because Bakili thought he was clever but now the law is catching up with him
ReplyDeleteKodi munthu wopanda manyazi ndikubayu bwanji? you mean kumanga Keza ndi ndalama zakuba, komanso kumanga nyumba yako ndi ndalama zokuba? Koma munthu ameneyu wantundu wanji?
ReplyDeleteI am shocked to hear such a detailed report. Its a shame that while Malawians were sleeping hungry, Muluzi was busy enriching himself. Malawians who are reading this, I hope you will learn why it is important to choose responsible leaders. Oh my God! what a revelation!
ReplyDelete