As Lazarus Chakwera and Saulos Klaus Chilima are leaving no stone unturned in fighting corruption, which was deep-rooted during the former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), business moguls, most of whom are Malawians of Asian origin, have banded together to fight Tonse Alliance.
According to impeccable sources, the corrupt business moguls, after bribing some judges in the judiciary, have made several attempts to cajole Martha Chizuma of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) but the legal bulldozer has remained unshaken.
Shire Times is also reliably informed that the coming of Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda as Attorney General (AG) is also a great concern to the swindlers and they have resorted to annex UTM, one of the Tonse Alliance partners, by splashing millions to members of the party to join Bon Kalindo’s demonstrations.
Latest catch is Director of Research for Blantyre urban District, Sydney Justice Yonamu, whose resignation letter has found its way to social media, warning the party’s leadership that, it has lost popularity and direction for its unfulfilled campaign promises under the Tonse Alliance government.
“These Asians have ganged up against President Lazarus Chakwera because of his unwavering stand on clearing the rubble. They are sponsoring demonstrations being led by Kalindo and they have started giving money to UTM members to join Kalindo.
“I was approached by some fellow party members but I denied betraying my conscience,” said one of UTM members who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The developments come Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is investigating Malawian-born businessman Zuneth Sattar, alongside several associates, including Ashok Kumar Sreedharan, aka Ashok Nair, and the Minister Lands & Urban Development Kezzie Msukwa who got bribes from Sattar in exchange of land.
In a very strange circumstance, Msukwa’s arrest was suspended by High Court few days ago.
The warrant of arrest issued on Wednesday last week by the Chief Resident Magistrate said Msukwa “is reasonably suspected of having committed three counts of corrupt use of official powers contrary to section 25 (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act as read together with Section 34 of the Corrupt Practices Act”.
The ACB in collaboration with Britain’s National Crimes Agency — UK’s anti-corruption authorities — are investigating both Sattar and Ashok over allegations of corruption and bribery of “politically connected” persons in the Mutharika and Tonse administrations.
Apart from Sattar, the Mapeto David Whitehead and Sons executives, Faizal Gaffar Latif, Zarina Latif, Mohamed Gaffar and Mohamed Yaseen are also answering charges related to corruption and fraud.
Apart from buying UTM members, the corrupt business moguls are also reportedly withholding essential supplies such as cooking oil and other groceries so as to create panic.
Meanwhile, UTM Secretary General, Patricia Kaliati has said the party is not utterly concerned nor shaken with the resignation of its Director of Research for Blantyre urban District, Sydney Justice Yonamu.
Kaliati added that “President Lazarus Chakwera cannot fulfill all campaign promises at once”.
