The main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has asked the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate former President Joyce Banda over the sale of Presidential jet.
DPP’s Mouth-Piece Shadreck Namalomba was speaking recently at former President Professor Peter Mutharika’s private resident at Nyambadwe in Blantyre.
Namalomba has accused ACB of practicing selective justice by targeting members of DPP in its probe and arrests, remarks which have been echoed by former Attorney General Charles Mhango.
In 2009, the Bingu wa Mutharika administration purchased the presidential jet at an estimated cost of K16 billion ($22 million), which was later sold during Banda’s administration. It was indicated that part of the proceeds were used to purchase maize.
Banda’s administration argued at the time that the plane was a burden to the economy with annual running costs estimated at over K200 million.
In March 2014, contrary to earlier claims that the proceeds from the jet sale were used for maize purchases, former minister of Finance Maxwell Mkwezalamba said that the $15 million (about K6.3 billion) did not go into the Malawi Government’s consolidated account.
He said instead the Attorney General facilitated the transfer of the funds from Bohnox Enterprises, which bought the jet, to Paramount Group, its parent company.
Mkwezalamba said government owed Paramount Group $19.2 million (about K8.2 billion) in respect of military equipment procured sometime back.
This sounds ridiculous. DPP under Peter Mutharika had a six year opportunity to probe Joyce Banda’s sale of the presidential jet,why didn’t they do it?