President Lazarus Chakwera says corruption under the Peter Mutharika administration was worse than cashgate, with over K1 trilion stolen.
Chakwera revealed this in a national address monitored on a local radio station.
According to Chakwera, a report by the Auditor General for the year starting 2018 and ending June 30, 2019 has shown that a lot taxpayers’ money was stolen.
He said the report shows K8.2 billion could not be accounted for, K1.2 billion was used for projects which were not completed, K300 million used for fuel without corresponding documents, K53 million used as allowances for assignments that were not carried out while K91 million was paid without approval by authorising officers.
“K425 billion which was taken out of account number one but which could not be properly accounted for,” said Chakwera.
He estimated that the money stolen during the the Mutharika led Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration is more than K1 trillion.
Chakwera said the looting of public funds during the DPP regime was worse than Cashgate where over K2 billion was stolen at the time Joyce Banda was president of the country.
“It’s the same as bringing down the government through looting of public funds,” said Chakwera.
He added that his government will ensure that people involved in plunder under previous administrations or in future are not protected or forgiven.
He revealed that he has advised the Minister of Justice Titus Mvalo to work with the courts and other bodies in ensuring that corruption cases are expedited.
Chakwera came into power last month after defeating Mutharika in the 2020 Fresh Presidetial Elections.
