….UK, USA sanctions regime targets individuals
…..State House official bought 3 houses in the USA, says report
The Investigator Magazine has been made privy to the 38 names that are likely to be on the travel ban list should President Lazarus Chakwera continue to push for the removal of Anti-Corruption Bureau Director General Martha Chizuma to protect persons involved in corruption.
The United States Embassy in Malawi on Wednesday said Malawi Government had lost its commitment to fighting corruption and efforts to engage it have yielded no results. The statement could in preparation for targeted sanctions against the President and his agents.
President Chakwera and his regime have worked hard since 2021 to derail and halt investigations into the multibillion kwacha corruption scandal involving the UK National Zuneth Sattar which implicates his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and its main Tonse Alliance partner UTM senior officials.
Evidence points out that the MCP benefitted at least K800 million from Sattar while the UTM pocketed not less than K1.2 billion from the businessman. The Anti-Corruption Bureau charged Vice President Saulos Chilima with six counts of receiving US$280 000 from Sattar which places him among “serious corrupt practices” as defined by the USA and the UK.
Since the arrest of Chilima, the President including his Secretary to the President and Cabinet, the Malawi Police Service and the Director of Public Prosecutions have all worked overtime to remove Chizuma from office to derail arrests of MCP officials involved in several multi billion kwacha scandals including the National Oil Company fuel procurement, AIP fertiliser procurement and the now emerging a water project where the contractor is set to be paid US$30 million.
The Investigator Magazine has a record of series of meetings with senior Government officials at all levels including the presidency where it is thought to have accelerated the removal of Chizuma from office as she was likely to refuse authorisation to pay US$30 million to the contractor.
The United States of America State Department says it uses visa restrictions as part of a multifaceted approach to combatting corruption globally. In Malawi, former Homeland Security Minister Uladi Mussa was banned with his family from entering the USA after being found to have been involved in significant corruption.
“Two corruption-related visa authorities — Presidential Proclamation (PP 7750) and the Anti-Kleptocracy Provision in the annual Appropriations Act (Section 7031(c)) — authorize the Secretary or his designee to designate individuals, including current and former foreign officials, and their immediate family members, who have been involved, directly or indirectly, in significant corruption. These authorities complement broader diplomatic and foreign assistance efforts to reenforce the concept of no safe havens,” says the State Department publication on the visa ban regime.
The United Kingdom in April 2021 adopted an almost similar approach under its new Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regime, enhancing its existing Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, which came into force in July 2020.
“The new Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations 2021 (the Regulations) enable the UK Foreign Secretary to impose asset freezes and travel bans on designated individuals and entities linked to certain corrupt activities, and criminalises the breach of those sanctions within the UK, as well as any breach by any UK individual or UK entity wherever located. That includes UK subsidiaries of foreign companies,” reads a legal opinion on the sanctions. Sattar is a British National.
Malawi’s corruption has worsened under President Chakwera and most of his aides, relations and appointees are now embroiled in one scandal after another.
One of senior Chakwera’s aides has just purchased three properties in the United States Maryland and New York paid by “well-wishers.”
The US Mission in Malawi asked government to stop “fighting anti-corruption champions” and that it only assist where transparency and accountability exist including the will to fight corruption.
The names include:
1. President Lazarus Chakwera and five members of his family
2. Vice President Saulos Chilima and three family members
3. The Minister of Justice Titus Mvalo
4. The Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda
5. The Director of Public Prosecutions Masauko Chamkakala
6. Suspended Chief of Staff Prince Kapondamgaga
7. Mr Sean Kampondeni, Executive Assistant and Director of Communications
8. Ms Coleen Zamba, Secretary to the President and Cabinet
9. Former Minister of Natural Resources and MCP Secretary General Einshower Mkaka and three family members
10.Inspector General of Malawi Police Services Ms Merlyn Yolamu
11.Deputy Inspector General of the Malawi Police Services Happy Mkandawire
12.Deputy Inspector General of Malawi Police Services Casper Chalera
13.Commissioner of Police Ackis Muwanga
14. Head of Malawi CID Mr George Njale
15.Dr. Steven Kayuni, fired Director of Public Prosecutions
16.Dr. George Kainja, fired Inspector General of Police
17.Mr. Kezzie Msukwa
18. A Judge at the High Court of Malawi.
According to our source, the list is one of the largest since the sanctions regimes started.
This is a very sad situation in the history of our country.
This is a very sad situation in the history of our country. Need for prompt appropriate action.
The Chakwera government is full of Corruption . they trying to kill the truth,that’s why ,there busy looking for the way to remove Marther Chizuma. . This government must fall. we are tired with nosence.
Good news
Malawi has rotten to the core