Police in Lilongwe have arrested three senior officials from Malawi Leaf Company Limited, a subsidiary of Auction Holdings Limited (AHL) and one business man, on suspicion that they conspired and stole over 20 Billion Kwacha company money.
According to a statement from police headquarters, the money is believed to have been stolen from the company at Kanengo in Lilongwe between 2012 and 2017.
Police Spokesman James Kadadzera
The suspects are the former Chief Executive Officer Evance Matabwa aged 51, former General Manager Jimmy Kasamale aged 46, and 39-year-old former Financial Controller Francis Madona.
Police have also arrested 53-year-old businessman Arthur Madikhula of Master Freight Shipping Company, Mauzi Contractors and Global Tobacco company.
The four will appear before court soon to answer theft charges.
In its mandate to regulate the energy Sector in Malawi in a fair, transparent, efficient and cost-effective manner for the benefit of consumers and operators, the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority ( Mera) has outlined the key factors that affect the landed costs of petroleum products.
In a statement made available to this publication Mera says among others, these key factors include the prices of refined petroleum products on the international market and the exchange rate of the Malawi Kwacha against major currencies.
The energy body says since the determination of the ruling pump prices in March, 2021, the landed costs of pertrol, Diesel and Paraffin have increased by 20.44%, 12.03% and 12. 23% respectively while the the landed osts of Jet A1 ( Aviation fuel) have reduced by an average of 1. 38% as compared to the landed costs noted in July, 2021, when the Jet-A-1 prices were last reviewed. ” As of September 7, 2021, the Price Stabilisation Fund balances for Petrol, Diesel, and Paraffin averaged K1.5 billion against the recommended minimum K5 billion. ” Under the Automatic Pricing Mechanism, which was adopted in 2012, prices are adjusted when the change in the landed cost is beyond the £5% trigger band”, reads part of the statement.
However, due to this , the Mera board says will consider the changes in the landed costs and other economic factors to establish appropriate prices of petroleum products and that the outcomes of the energy prices review will be communicated in due course.
Barely months after Malawi Government ordered relocation of refugees to Dzaleka refugee camp, kids from Karonga Refugee Transit Camp have caused worry and panic to Karonga District residents as the former keep asking for money from residents around shops and offices.
Speaking in an interview, one of frequent market users Happy Mwalughali described the situation as worrisome saying these kids have a potential of causing danger in the near future.
He said: “Every time I visit this market I meet either 2 or more kids from the transit camp asking me for money and when I don’t give them they become aggressive and force me to give them, this is worrisome now. “There is great need to a quick action to the situation because if left unhandled, these gives might become dangerous and thieves in the market place.” Echoing Mwalughali, one of business ladies plying her trade in Karonga, Enala Munyenyembe said the kids are so disturbing at times as they never understand when someone says he does not have money.
Kids at BAJWA Superette waiting to ask for money
He said: “When these kids ask for money and you tell them you do not have, they keep asking for money as if they have seen it, we as vendors are worried because one day they might steal our goods because they are seen around the market even during old hours.”
One her part, Field Officer responsible for Karonga refugee transit camp, Musanje Ng’oma said his office has also noted the development with great concern and they are trying their best to engage relevant stakeholders in order bring sanity. “It is indeed true that the kids from our camp are out in town disturbing people by begging money from them now and again, however our office has been in talks with the district’s social welfare department and the police to find proper ways of ending this malpractice.” He said.
Karonga district transit refugee camp serves refugees getting into the country through Songwe border and at the moment, there are 67 refugees seeking shelter.
A 2-year-old boy, Faruk lssah, has died while his two elder brothers Haji Issah, 12 and Yulard lssah, 10, are admitted at Makanjira Health Centre after eating wild beans locally known as ndozi.
According to Mangochi Police Public Relations Officer Amina Tepani Daudi, the tragedy happened on September 13, 2021 at Malufu Village Traditional Authority Makanjira in the district.
It is reported that, on the previous day before the incident, the mother to the three Zione lndia, 38, cooked wild beans which she got from nearby Langwe hill.
Mangochi police PRO Amina Tepani Daudi
The same night, all the family members fell sick and became unconscious soon after eating the beans.
They were rushed to Makanjira Health Centre where Faruk was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The two siblings are receiving treatment at the same hospital while the mother was treated as outpatient.
Meanwhile specimen of the suspected food poisoning has been collected for further examination.
The deceased hailed from Malufu Village Traditional Authority Makanjira in Mangochi.
The Constitutional Court has ruled that it will not dismiss a case in which former ruling DPP is seeking nullification of Lazarus Chakwera’s election.The development followed a request by Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda, Attorney General to dismiss the case over failure to comply with rules after the court observed that the documents which were filed by DPP lawyer Charles Mhango were signed by another person Burton Mhango.
Nyirenda described the development as forgery and criminal in nature.However, Mhango apologized and asked the court to treat the issue as an irregularity which can be rectified.He described the development as a slip of the pen.
DPP lawyer Charles Mhango
In his ruling Judge Sylvester Kalembera, chairperson of a panel of five judges hearing the case, said the anomaly was an irregularity, which can be cured or rectified.Kalembera has also faulted Mhango for bringing faulty documents being an experienced lawyer.
The case has since been adjourned to later today .Malawi’s Constitutional Court agreed to hear a challenge to last year’s presidential election rerun from the opposition Democratic Progressive Party. President Lazarus Chakwera defeated the DPP’s Peter Mutharika in the rerun after the court nullified the 2019 election, which Mutharika had won. The DPP argues the rerun should also be nullified after the High Court quashed the appointment of four DPP commissioners to the Malawi Electoral Commission.
The Constitution Court has set 29th and 30th September,2021 as days it will hear an application by Attorney General to dismiss the case.The Attorney General Thabo Chaka Nyirenda wants the case to be dismissed before the hearing of the main case on the following grounds:1.The application by the DPP was not supposed to come before the high court sitting as a Constitutional Court.According to Nyirenda, the decision that DPP is challenging emanated from a judgement by a High Court Judge Kennyata Nyirenda who nullified the appointment of Linda Kunje and Jean Mathanga.Nyirenda has argued that DPP was supposed to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court of Appeal.2.DPP is not a proper party to challenge the decision.
According to Nyirenda, a presidential candidate of the party is supposed to challenge the election. He cited the Presidential Election Petition Case which was commenced by President Lazarus Chakwera and Vice President Saulos Chilima leaders of MCP and UTM respectively: 3: The law provides seven days for an aggrieved party to challenge declared results of an election and that DPP filed its application when the seven days expired.4: DPP created the irregularity on the two Mec commissioners and it can not turn and ask the court to reward it for its own irregularities.Nyirenda argued that the court can not be in a business of rewarding irregularities.
Charles Mhango, lawyer for the DPP has said the party will bring five witnesses which may be trimmed to three. Some of the witnesses are:1. Jean Mathanga2. Linda Kunje3. Francis Mphepo.Meanwhile, Judge Sylvester Kalembera who is chairing a panel of five judges hearing the case has said the case will be heard on 29th and 30th, if the IFMIS will release resources for among others judges coming from outside Blantyre.Kalembera said the court has been informed by the registrar of the High Court Appeal that the IFMIS is facing challenges in processing payments
