By Linda Kwanjana
Controversial Blantyre businessman Mahmood Azhar Chaudhry, already entangled in forex externalisation and property transfer scandals, now faces fresh scrutiny from the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA).
According to inside sources, MRA has begun examining Chaudhry’s dealings with the tax body, focusing on transactions dating back to 2022.
Officials reportedly grew suspicious after reviewing a handful of documents and have since taken keen interest in continuing the process before formally summoning him.
“This is a matter MRA is taking seriously and will leave no stone unturned,” one source said, underscoring the gravity of the probe.
Other sources claim that all the properties transferred have their tax clearance ertificates missing from the system and officers are relying on other available information.
The development follows Chaudhry’s stunning admission before the High Court that he paid part of the purchase price for a locally sold vehicle in British pounds in London, a clear violation of Malawi’s Exchange Control Act.
Economic experts have described the admission as reckless, warning that externalisation drains the country’s foreign exchange reserves and attracts severe penalties, including fines, imprisonment, and seizure of assets.
Chaudhry’s legal dispute with Speedy’s Limited owner Riaz Jakhura revealed payments amounting to £10,000 in London and additional sums in Malawi, totalling nearly K60 million by late 2021.
Despite these payments, Jakhura counterclaimed K26.4 million, deepening the controversy.
Meanwhile, Chaudhry and his wife, Neelam Azhar Mahmood, have also been linked to alleged irregularities in the transfer of property Title Number Blantyre East 15.
Investigators are probing whether false citizenship claims were used to secure consent for the transaction, raising questions under Malawi’s amended Land Laws (2022), which restrict foreign nationals from owning private land outside recognised investment purposes.
With both the forex externalisation case and the property transfer scandal casting a long shadow, MRA’s probe marks a significant escalation. The tax authority’s determination to scrutinise Chaudhry’s records signals that regulatory bodies are tightening their grip on individuals suspected of exploiting loopholes in Malawi’s financial and legal systems.
