Malawi Congress Party leader and Presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera gets ready to cast his ballot at a polling station in Kasiya, Malawi, on May 21, 2019. Malawi polls opened on May 21 after a closely-fought election campaign. Mutharika, who has been in power since 2014, faces tough opposition, including from his own deputy Saulos Klaus Chilima who is leading his ten-month old party, the UTM, and main opposition Malawi Congress Party leader Lazarus Chakwera. GIANLUIGI GUERCIA / AFP
Malawi has arrested its Vice President Saulos Chilima and charged him with graft over a bribery scandal involving a British-Malawian businessman, the country’s anti-corruption watchdog said.
The president’s deputy — who has been stripped of his powers — has been charged with several counts of corruption and taking bribes to influence government contracts, the Anti-Corruption Bureau said.
“He received advantage in the form of money amounting to $280,000 and other items from (British-Malawian businessman) Zuneth Sattar,” for the latter’s companies to be awarded Malawi government contracts, ACB spokeswoman Egrita Mdala said in a statement.
READ ALSO: Sierra Leone Lawmakers Exchange Blows In Parliament
Chilima was due to appear in court on Friday afternoon. Officials and supporters from his United Transformation Movement party had already gathered outside in support.
President Lazarus Chakwera stripped Chilima of his powers in June when details of the alleged graft first emerged.
According to Malawi’s constitution, the president could not suspend or remove Chilima because he was an elected official.
Several ministers and former ministers have already been arrested in connection with the case, in which 53 public officials have been accused of receiving money from Sattar between March and October 2021.
Chilima partnered with Chakwera to win the 2020 presidential election re-run, sweeping to victory on an anti-corruption platform.
He had also joined Chakwera in challenging fraudulent elections in 2019, which led to a court-sanctioned poll the following year in which Chakwera defeated former leader Peter Mutharika.
AFP
The declaration, he says, followed the report of the National Moon Sighting Committees across the…
He said because of Damagum’s alleged lack of leadership, the PDP has not been playing…
Omobayo Godwins said he is learning on the job and won't hesitate to do all…
The fellowship programme will be domiciled in the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) coordination office under…
Godwins said the Labour Party has changed entirely from what it used to be during…
Arteta puts no stock in his club's past problems against Bayern and the Spaniard called…