Malawi Vp on bail after arrested on Corruption allegations

The Vice President of the Republic, Dr Saulos Chilima has been released on bail after a short-time arrest by the Anti-Corruption Bureau on allegations that he benefited from UK based business tycoon, Zuneth Satta’s bribes.

The Bureau earlier this year produced a report which contained some of the beneficiaries of the Sattar’s bribery and Chilima was not a minus.

On Friday, 25 November, 2022 the Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested the Vice president and six charges were levelled against him.

It is alleged that between March 2021 and October 2021, Dr Chilima received advantage in form of money amounting to USD280, 000 and other items as a reward from the suspected corrupt figure, Sattar for him to assist Xaviar Limited and Malachitte FZE, which are companies connected to Zuneth Sattar to be awarded contracts by the Government of Malawi.

Chilima who has become the first Vice President of the public answering questions on Corruption while on duty, was, at Lilongwe Magistrate Court, answering the charges of three counts of corrupt practices by a public officer which is contrary to 24(1) of a Corrupt Practices Act as read with section 34 of the Corrupt Practices Act.

He was also answering two counts of receiving advantage for using influence in regard to contracts contrary to section 29 (1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices Act as read with section 34 of the Corrupt Practices Act.

The count of failing to make a full report to a police officer or an officer of the Bureau that an advantage has been corruptly given contrary to section 36(1) of the Corrupt Practices Act was also levelled against him.

After hours of his arrest, Lawyer for Dr Chilima, George Mtchuka applied for a bail and Chief Resident Magistrate Madalitso Chimwaza granted it to the Vice President.

Among the conditions for the bail are that he surrender his travel documents and pay K1 million cash bail bond. He must also appear at the court once every three months.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has hired veteran lawyer Mordecai Msiska who was the Lawyer for Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera during the hearing of elections case in 2019 to lead the prosecution team in the case.

ACB Chief Legal and Prosecution Officer Chrispine Khunga told the court they are waiting for the office of the Director of public prosecutions (DPP) to give them a go ahead on the matter.

In an interviews on the charges levelled against him, Dr Saulos Chilima said he would not comment on the matter until everything is finalised.

“I have nothing to say expect that we will let the process continue. I will not comment on the questions that I was answering to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, I think it’s an inappropriate to do that. I should not comment on this until when it is right to do so,” said Chilima.