President Peter Mutharika

Malawi Police Service, Fiscal and Fraud Section, is interested to former president Peter Mutharika, in connection with K5 billion (about $7 million ) cement imported duty-free under “personal use” provision in the Presidents (Salaries and Benefits) Act when he was in power but was being sold by business persons, Nyasa Times understands.

This follows the arrest of the security aide to Mutharika , Norman Chisale in connection with the cement import scandal.

Nyasa Times sources said Fiscal Police are interested to question Mutharika on the matter.

“Police are interested to quiz the former president on the matter as investigations continue,” said a source after Chisale has been interrogated in Lilongwe.

Chisale remains security aide of Mutharika during his retirement.

National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said police “have been interviewing individuals that might have been involved in the transaction.”

He confirmed Chisale in police custody “for that purpose.’’

Earlier, Malawi Revenue Authority official Roza Mbilizi, who allegedly cleared the import of 60,000 tonnes of cement, was held.

Mutharika, who was removed from power in the June 23 court-sanctioned presidential election rerun, is building a retirement home in the Lakeshore town of Mangochi, southern Malawi.

After losing the election, the former president was forced to temporarily move into a state lodge because the house is incomplete.

Newly elected President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, who in his inaugural speech pledged to deal with corruption, said that before the country of 19.13 million people can begin to rebuild, it must clear the rubble of corruption.

“I will challenge the leadership of judiciary to do more to root out the culture of corruption and selective justice that has shipwrecked too many of our lowest courts,” he said.

Mutharika’s opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials have complained that the new administration under the leadership of Chakwera is making arrest of senior members of the party and claimed it is political persecution aimed at killing the party.

But commentators have said there is a lot of rot that is being exposed to have been happening during the DPP regime that requires the long arm of the law to catch up with wring doers- and the fish rots from the head down. -Nyasa Times

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