Former Malawi leader Joyce Banda and her family members are reportedly in self imposed exile amidst reports that there are more impending cashgate arrests following the end of the judicial strike.
Sources privy to Malawi24 alleged that Joyce Banda is treating with seriousness reports that the Peter Mutharika regime is compiling evidence which implicate her alleged involvement in the cashgate scandal.
Chief cashgate suspect, Oswald Lutepo, named Mrs. Banda as the “main beneficiary” of the money he reportedly stole from Government.
Lutepo claimed he was working on instruction from President Joyce Banda to defraud the government.
“[Joyce Banda] used my account as a conduit. I have been to State House several times to deliver the money. If there are CCTVs, there will prove me,” said Lutepo an interview aired on Zodiak Broadcasting Station 21 November 2014.
Over MK24 billion (US$ 52 million) was looted from the public coffers by government and Joyce Banda’s Peoples Party officials.
Joyce Banda has never stepped foot in Malawi since the Cashagate Forensic report which contains names of the suspects was made public in October. She left Malawi in September for a UN summit.
Joyce Banda’s son, Geoffrey Kachale, left Malawi for Zambia reportedly soon after Mutharika was declared winner of the highly disputed May 20 elections.
Ironically, former Justice Minister and Attorney General in the Joyce Banda administration, Ralph Kasambara, implicated Oswald Lutepo as being behind the inferno in order to cover up for over MK650 million which he had defrauded from the electricity body.
A Malawi Leaks report allege that Lutepo and Geoffrey Kachale were partners in the ESCOM deal.
