Former President Bakili Muluzi has paid back K86 million to the Malawi Government which has since dropped corruption charges against the former president who is alleged to have diverted K1.7 billion to his personal accounts.
This is according to a report by the Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ).
Today, the High Court in Blantyre has dropped corruption charges against former Muluzi following a decision by government through the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to discontinue the K1.7 billion case.
According to PIJ, the decision to end the case came after a behind the scenes agreement between Muluzi and the state in which Muluzi paid back K86 million out of the K1.7 billion he is alleged to have stolen.
“PIJ understands that Muluzi has already paid back the 86 million kwacha to the state through a cheque and that the refunded sum relates to payments from the Japanese government initially amounting to K19 million kwacha allegedly abused by Muluzi.
“The total amount to be repaid has been calculated to be K86 million after the state factored in interest and devaluation of the currency.
“Muluzi denies abusing the rest of the K1.7 billion ($11 million) at the centre of his 14-year-long prosecution. Muluzi’s team reportedly had sought that the repayment should not be publicised,” PIJ reported.
According to PIJ, some members of the state legal team believe the case against Muluzi which has taken over 14 years was winnable and consider the payment as partial admission of guilt buy the defence.
Speaking to PIJ, Muluzi’s lawyer Tamando Chokhotho confirmed the payment to the state but said the former president was not paying back money which he allegedly diverted.
Chokhotho said Muluzi was a government employee and at the time he was leaving office, there were some funds that he was owing to the government and those are the sums that have been paid back with interest.
“There were no funds that were diverted to Muluzi’s account, the arrangement was that a vehicle was supposed to be purchased and that he pay government all that was supposed to happen at the time was for government to send him note that there was money for a vehicle and this was price for the vehicle,” said Chokhotho.
On his part, Government spokesperson and Minister of Information Moses Kunkuyu said the decision to discontinue the case was decided on its legal merits by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
He added that the move followed a review in line with the government’s “uncompromising commitment to the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, Director of Public Prosecutions, Masauko Chamkakala has said his office will issue a report to parliament on the matter.
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