Malawi vice president arrested by anti-corruption bureau

VP Saulos Chilima is accused of accepting cash and different gadgets in trade for awarding authorities contracts.

Malawi's Vice President Saulos Chilima was stripped of his powers in June [File: Eldson Chagara/Reuters]

Malawi’s Anti-Corruption Bureau has arrested the nation’s Vice President Saulos Chilima over corruption allegations, it stated on Friday.

Chilima is accused of accepting cash and different gadgets in trade for awarding authorities contracts, the ACB stated in an announcement.

The vp could be taken to court docket the place he's anticipated to be charged with three counts of corrupt practices by a public officer, amongst different prices, the corruption watchdog added.

Footage from native media confirmed supporters of Chilima and the police seemingly in a scuffle as he was being taken into court docket for the formal studying of prices.

“I've no remark to make. We'll let the court docket course of run its course,” Chilima instructed reporters outdoors court docket after being granted bail, in accordance with media.

The ACB assertion stated Chilima was rewarded for aiding Xaviar Restricted and Malachitte FZE, two firms linked to British businessman Zuneth Sattar, to win contracts.

The watchdog has been investigating Sattar and different public officers in Malawi over alleged plundering of state sources by influencing awarding of contracts by way of the nation’s public procurement system, it stated.

The ACB arrested Chilima “on allegation that between March 2021 and October 2021, he acquired benefit in type of cash” amounting to $280,000 and different gadgets “from Zuneth Sattar as a reward”, its assertion stated.

In August, the Monetary Occasions reported that Sattar was beneath investigation by the UK’s Nationwide Crime Company (NCA) over alleged abuse of Malawi’s public procurement system. He had not been charged with any offence and denied wrongdoing, the report stated.

NCA didn't instantly reply to a request for touch upon Friday, and Sattar couldn't be reached, the Reuters information company stated.

Earlier this yr, Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera dissolved his complete cupboard on prices of corruption in opposition to three serving ministers. A number of ministers and former ministers have already been arrested in reference to this case, through which 53 public officers have been accused of receiving cash from Sattar between March and October 2021.

In June this yr, Chakwera stripped Chilima of all powers after the latter was first named in corruption allegations by the ACB. Based on Malawi’s structure, the president couldn't droop or take away Chilima as a result of he was an elected official.

In 2020, Chilima partnered with Chakwera to win the presidential election re-run, sweeping to victory on an anti-corruption platform.