Africa-Press – Malawi. Malawi’s graft busting body – the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has issued an order restricting the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development from dealing with properties in which Zuneth Sattar is alleged to have beneficial interest.
The properties include 86 plots both in strategic uptown areas and in the outskirts of Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe. The order is pursuant to the Bureau’s powers under Section 23 (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act.
“The Restriction Notice has been issued as part of investigations by the Bureau following allegations that Zuneth Sattar and his agent Ashok Kumar SREEDHARAN aka Ashok Nair have been giving bribes to Politically Exposed Persons with the aim of influencing various Malawi Government Departments to corruptly award contracts to companies belonging to Zuneth Sattar,” said ACB Principal Public Relations Officer Egrita Ndalain in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Ndala added that following the restriction notice, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development is restricted from dealing with the 86 plots in question until the ACB concludes its investigations or lifts the restriction notices.
Recently, the Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda disclosed that his office is gathering information on how his predecessor Kalekeni Kaphale cleared the businessman.
Kaphale, alongside senior officials for erstwhile governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the incumbent Tonse Alliance administrations, are reported to have facilitated the clearance of Sattar who is facing various charges bordering on corruption.
The AG’s probe coincides with another one instituted by Britain’s FBI styled National Crime Agency (NCA) alongside Malawi’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which focuses on the businessman’s dealings with the Dr Joyce Banda, Professor Peter Mutharika and current Tonse administrations, with senior officials for all tenures facing possible legal perils.
Sources close to the investigations reveal that a horde of Presidential aides, Ministers, top civil servants are believed to have collected money from the businessman. NCA and ACB are currently tracing the money flow trails.
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