The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has given the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and the office of Public Prosecutions 14 days to provide an update on the K16.5 billion Mapeto David Whitehead and Sons (DWS) tax evasion case.
In a letter dated May 4, 2026, CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa says the organization is demanding transparency on the status of the case, describing it as a matter of public interest involving taxpayers’ money.
“Malawians that double as voters and taxpayers were reliably informed that the several were arrested on multiple offences including K10.8 billion taxevasion that was later revised to K16.5 billion.
“Needless to put it to you Sir, that K16.5 billion is not small change, the MRA must help Malawians find a closure on this matter by updating the nation on the status of this high profile case,” Namiwa said in the letter.
CDEDI has warned that failure by MRA to respond within the stipulated period will force the organization to take further action.
The case dates back to May 23, 2021, when MRA arrested several Mapeto DWS executives, including Managing Director Mahomed Gaffar, Abdul Rashid Bakali, Yaseen Bakali and Martin Mpata, over alleged tax evasion initially estimated at K10.8 billion and later revised to K16.5 billion.
The accused are alleged to have evaded customs duty by importing ready-made fabrics and twine disguised as duty-free raw materials under industrial rebate, with the amount linked to the charge revised from K2 billion to about K4 billion.
They are also accused of omitting some money from income tax returns between 2016 and 2019, allegedly defrauding the Malawi Government billions if Kwachas.
