The Senior Resident Magistrate has committed to High Court the cement-gate case in which four people are accused of importing cement using former President Peter Mutharika’s pin.
In court today, Senior Resident Magistrate, Shyreen Chirwa read counts against former State House chief of staff Peter Mukhito, former Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) deputy Commissioner General Roza Mbilizi, Mutharika’s former bodyguard Norman Chisale and businessperson Mahmed Shafee Chunara.
Following today’s proceedings, the case will be heard by the High Court where the four will be tried on counts that include money laundering.
The suspects are currently on bail following their arrest last year after revelations that Mutharika’s Taxpayer Identification Number (TPIN) was used to import 800,000 bags of cement duty free between 2018 and 2019. The suspects lied that Mutharika was importing the cement.
Mutharika last year denied any involvement in the corrupt acts saying he neither bought nor instructed anyone to buy or import the cement in question.
However, his bank accounts remain frozen as the Anti-Corruption Bureau is still investigating the case.
