Unintelligence! Malawi, through its National Intelligence Service (NIS), says it does not know if Zuneth Sattar is a wanted person in the country. The NIS says it does not have information that the tycoon, accused of corruption and fraud, is wanted to warrant interception of his movement.
It was revealed during court proceedings in the United Kingdom that Sattar arrived in Malawi on March 16, 2022 and returned to the UK on March 25 2022. At the time, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had already launched investigations into the businessman who is accused of corruptly securing multibillion kwacha government contracts and offering bribes to buy land.
Last month, Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) asked National Intelligence Service (NIS) Chief, Dokani Ngwira, to explain why the NIS did not alert ACB or police after Sattar came into the country.
However, in his response to the CDEDI letter, Ngwira said the intelligence service was not aware that Sattar is a wanted person in Malawi.
“NIS works hand in hand with the Anti-Corruption Bureau [ACB] when need arises. However, on the issue of Mr Zuneth Sattar, neither the ACB nor the Malawi Police Service informed the NIS that the subject is a wanted person,” said Ngwira.
Namiwa said Ngwira’s response shows that state agencies are operating in isolation.
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General (DG) Martha Chizuma told the local media last month that the bureau learnt about Sattar’s visit to Malawi just two hours after his departure on his return trip to Britain.
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