Government has quashed ‘cashgate suspects shielding’ assertions by some Civil Society Organisation leaders.
On Wednesday last week, some of the renowned CSO leaders issued a press statement which claims that President Peter Mutharika’s administration is giving immunity to some public officers who were involved in plunder of public coffers dubbed cashgate. The letter also called for Mutharika resignation for poor democratic and economic governance.
“We have also seen a country fast receding into an old-age political and economic malaise: A country where pursuit of corrupt cases alias cash-gate is highly skewed towards offering immunity to those in power while coming the hardest on the weak.” Reads part of the statement by the CSO’s
They asked Government to do better on dealing with cash-gate, by among others, “commencing investigations on all those linked to the plunder of public resources from 2005 to 2012. Politically motivated pursuit of cash-gate cases will not offer justice on the matter. We need a legal process on the public resource plunder that does not side with senior public servants and the administration’s cronies.”
However, responding to the claims on Tuesday, at an interface meeting between Ministers and CSO’s, Minister of Justice and Constitution Affairs, Samuel Tembenu described the statement “Devoid of substance”
“They haven’t come out clearly to indicate that government has given immunity to Mr. So, so so” said Tembenu
“On interest of Justice, we should make statement that is based on facts and evidence” urged the Justice Minister who further reminded CSO’s that public officers were arrested in connection to Cashgate where some have been already been convicted of the crime.
Also reacting to claims that government is failing to swiftly carryout an investigation and arrest culprits involved in plundering of the alleged K92 billion audit query for the period between 2005 to 2012 (now famously known K577 billion audit query), the Minister said Government in the mean time has no sufficient evidence that it can arrest individuals and companies involved in K92 billion scam because the audit query by Waterhouse Coopers is not a full audit report and contains no evidence against anybody.
However, Tembenu said once a full forensic audit is done just like was the case with Baker Tilly then government will have all the necessary evidence to begin arresting and prosecuting anybody linked to the theft.
“We cannot take someone to court without any sufficient evidence.” He said
Tembenu highlighted that at the moment Malawi Government is making headway in the prosecution of cases of Cashgate currently in court because there is a forensic Audit report by Baker Tilly which has all the evidence against suspects. He therefore said suspects are pleading guilty just because government is able to bring to court sufficient evidence against suspects.
On Wednesday last week, some of the renowned CSO leaders issued a press statement which claims that President Peter Mutharika’s administration is giving immunity to some public officers who were involved in plunder of public coffers dubbed cashgate. The letter also called for Mutharika resignation for poor democratic and economic governance.
“We have also seen a country fast receding into an old-age political and economic malaise: A country where pursuit of corrupt cases alias cash-gate is highly skewed towards offering immunity to those in power while coming the hardest on the weak.” Reads part of the statement by the CSO’s
They asked Government to do better on dealing with cash-gate, by among others, “commencing investigations on all those linked to the plunder of public resources from 2005 to 2012. Politically motivated pursuit of cash-gate cases will not offer justice on the matter. We need a legal process on the public resource plunder that does not side with senior public servants and the administration’s cronies.”
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| Tembenu |
However, responding to the claims on Tuesday, at an interface meeting between Ministers and CSO’s, Minister of Justice and Constitution Affairs, Samuel Tembenu described the statement “Devoid of substance”
“They haven’t come out clearly to indicate that government has given immunity to Mr. So, so so” said Tembenu
“On interest of Justice, we should make statement that is based on facts and evidence” urged the Justice Minister who further reminded CSO’s that public officers were arrested in connection to Cashgate where some have been already been convicted of the crime.
Also reacting to claims that government is failing to swiftly carryout an investigation and arrest culprits involved in plundering of the alleged K92 billion audit query for the period between 2005 to 2012 (now famously known K577 billion audit query), the Minister said Government in the mean time has no sufficient evidence that it can arrest individuals and companies involved in K92 billion scam because the audit query by Waterhouse Coopers is not a full audit report and contains no evidence against anybody.
However, Tembenu said once a full forensic audit is done just like was the case with Baker Tilly then government will have all the necessary evidence to begin arresting and prosecuting anybody linked to the theft.
“We cannot take someone to court without any sufficient evidence.” He said
Tembenu highlighted that at the moment Malawi Government is making headway in the prosecution of cases of Cashgate currently in court because there is a forensic Audit report by Baker Tilly which has all the evidence against suspects. He therefore said suspects are pleading guilty just because government is able to bring to court sufficient evidence against suspects.
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