The Malawi police are facing accusations of helping a fraud and corruption suspect, Abdul Karim Batatawala, to settle an intense family feud.
Batatawala is a controversial figure and a well-known business tycoon in Malawi involved in a number of controversial procurement contracts with the Malawi government. In December 2021, Batatawala was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on suspicion of fraud and money laundering. He is accused of defrauding the Malawi government of about K1.5 billion (about US$15 million) and laundering K2.5 billion (about US$25 million) involving Malawi’s Defense Force (MDF), Malawi Police, and the Malawi Immigration Department.
Batatawala is currently on bail, but he is in a dispute with his son-in-law, Shabir Jussab, a British national who resides in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre.
Jussab claims that Batatawala has repeatedly asked him to use his businesses to engage in fraudulent activities with Malawi government. Jussab claims that his decision to turn down his father-in-law’s request to use his companies as a conduit for fraud, money laundering and corruption is what has led to the family feud.
Jussab emphasizes maintaining an ethical business that avoids government dealings, unlike Batatawala, who faces corruption charges in his previous contracts with the Malawi government.
The Malawi police have now controversially issued an Interpol request for Jussab’s arrest. This has been met with widespread criticism from the general public, as it is seen as an attempt by the Malawi police to help Batatawala settle his personal dispute with a facility member.
The Malawi government has also been criticized for its handling of the case, and the police have been accused of being biased in favor of Batatawala as a way of protecting its own interests, considering that Batatawala’s current fraud and corruption charges relate to deals he signed with the Malawi police.
This dispute has also revealed that the Malawi government continues to engage with Batatawala despite his facing multi-million-dollar fraud, corruption, and money laundering charges. The Malawi Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has been criticized for its apparent inaction, allowing Batatawala to continue his dealings by employing third parties as exposed by Jussab.
Jussab told Malawi24 that Batatawala has been pressuring him to use his businesses to engage in fraudulent activities with the Malawi government for the past three years.
“This is a family matter. Over the past three years, he has consistently pressured me, even involving his wife and my wife. However, I have consistently rejected his requests. I maintain an ethical business that does not involve government dealings. I will not compromise my integrity for fraudulent activities”, Jussab told Malawi24’s correspondent.
Jussab insinuated that Batatawala pulled some strings within the Malawi police hierarchy for the purported warrant of arrest to be issued against his son-in-law. “When I refused again, he [Batatawala] resorted to threats” Jussab clarified.
Serious allegations indicate that the Malawi police, historically tied to corrupt practices with some notable Malawian business tycoons of Indian descent, intervened on Batatawala’s behalf in threatening Jussab through the arrest warrant; an allegation necessitating a thorough investigation to establish how the warrant was obtained.
In 2021, Abdul Karim Batatawala’s Reliance Trading Company was allegedly implicated in a K167.8 million scam involving questionable Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST) contract.
in 2022, the ACB restricted Batatawala and his alleged fraud accomplices Fletcher Nyirenda and Limbani Chawinga from disposing of assets.
A concerned Malawi police official privy to the whole issue told Malawi24 on condition of anonymity that the Malawi police must not mediate personal disputes. Their focus should be on safeguarding the public and fighting crime.
“Prioritizing assistance to alleged fraudsters and corrupt officials detracts from our duties of protecting the public and ensuring that public funds are put into good use”, she said.
She added: “The Malawi police’s controversial request to Interpol to arrest Jussab, despite his claims of a feud initiated by Batatawala’s incessant request to position Jussab’s companies as conduit, further highlights the Malawi police continued entanglement with the controversial business mogul. As a public institution and law enforcement agency, we wasting millions of public funds on this private matter”
The British Embassy’s response to Malawi police’s request remains undisclosed, underscoring the complexity of the situation. As the saga continues, these allegations cast a shadow over the credibility of institutions and the pursuit of justice in Malawi.
ACB is yet to comment.
