5 accused die in K2.4 billion Cashgate case

He said the latest suspect to die in the case is Andrews Chilalika; who has died after Maxwell Namata, Karim Lumumba and Auzius Kazombo Mwale breathed their last. Tuesday, defence witness number five Clemence Madzi testified in the case before High Court Judge Ruth Chinangwa. Defence lawyer Andy Kaonga declined to grant an interview to the media.

A total of five accused persons in the K2.4 billion Cashgate case involving former budget director Paul Mphiyo have died since the case started,

Director of Public Prosecutions Steven Kayuni told us at the court Tuesday that the case is now left with 14 out of the original 19 accused persons.

He said the latest suspect to die in the case is Andrews Chilalika; who has died after Maxwell Namata, Karim Lumumba and Auzius Kazombo Mwale breathed their last.

Tuesday, defence witness number five Clemence Madzi testified in the case before High Court Judge Ruth Chinangwa.

According to Kayuni, to ensure that the case is fast-tracked, Chinangwa communicated that dates for the case had been set and that the case would, for at least one week, go on non-stop until all witnesses finish testifying in the case.

Kayuni was, however, not certain on how many witnesses would testify in defence, considering that witnesses have a right to remain silent.

Defence lawyer Andy Kaonga declined to grant an interview to the media.

During yesterday’s court appearance, Mpwiyo was spotted wearing an apple green golf shirt and a black pair of trousers and was driving a green Toyota Belta.

In August last year, the Judiciary assigned the case to Chinangwa following the retirement of Esme Chombo.

Chombo handled criminal case number 35 of 2014 for over five years, from 2015 to May 20 last year.

Mphwiyo was shot at the gate of his Area 43 residence in Lilongwe on September 13 2013 during the administration of Joyce Banda.

Former Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister under the Joyce Banda administration Ralph Kasambara, businessperson Pika Manondo, Dauka Manondo, Robert Kadzuwa and McDonald Kumwembe were convicted of and jailed for Mphwiyo’s attempted murder.

Kasambara was, however, released on bail from prison after he applied for bail pending appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Mphwiyo’s shooting opened a can of worms of what widely came to be known as Cashgate—the plunder of public funds at the seat of government, Capital Hill.

Banda, as president then, ordered a forensic audit which was undertaken by a British firm between April and September 2013.

The audit established that K24 billion was siphoned through dubious payments and inflated invoices or services never rendered.

In May 2015, a financial analysis report by audit and business advisory firm Price Waterhouse Coopers also established that K577 billion of public funds could not be reconciled but the figure was later reduced to K236 billion by another British forensic audit firm.

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