Africa-Press – Malawi. A contentious family feud has escalated between the controversial businessman, Abdul Karim Batatawala, and his son-in-law, Shabir Jussab, leading to the intervention of The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) and the British High Commission in Lilongwe.
On Thursday, a Magistrate’s court in Blantyre issued an arrest warrant against Shabir Jussab. He is a businessman residing in Mandala, Blantyre, but is currently in Saudi Arabia for personal business.
He faces allegations of cyber harassment against his father-in-law, prominent businessman Abdul Karim Batatawala.
Beatrice Mikuwa, the South West Region Police spokesperson, stated that Malawi Police have triggered an Interpol alert to secure Jussab’s arrest and return to Malawi. The allegations are related to a violation of section 86(b) of the Electronic Transaction and Cyber Security Act. The police claim that between July and August 2023, Jussab used his computer system to send threatening messages, indicating harm to Batatawala and his family members.
Jussab, aged 32, is estranged from Batatawala’s daughter and is currently residing in Saudi Arabia with his son. The second charge accuses Jussab of repeatedly employing WhatsApp messages to disrupt the peace, quietness, or privacy of Batatawala and his family during the same period.
The warrant reads: “You are hereby directed to arrest the said Shabir Jussab and to produce him before this court in execution of this warrant, and herein fail not.”
Police sources suggest that Jussab sent messages to Batatawala, insulting and threatening him, along with making baseless and sensitive allegations against him and his family.
In an interview, Batatawala accused Jussab of attacking him and his family through cybercrime.
“He committed a cybercrime against me and my family. We reported the matter to the cybercrime division at Area 30, and their investigations revealed that he was the source of the messages, using a different sim card. The police traced the person who bought the sim card, and he admitted that his boss, Shabir Jussab, instructed him to purchase it. Jussab has been posting nonsensical content on social media platforms,” Batatawala explained in the interview.
However, in an exclusive interview from Saudi Arabia, Jussab countered by asserting that Batatawala is bitter because he declined to use his business to supply goods to the government. According to Jussab, Batatawala had asked him years ago to use his company to provide goods to the government, but Jussab refused as he prefers to maintain his clean business dealings.
“This is a family matter. For the past three years, he’s been pressuring me, even using his wife and mine. I repeatedly declined until a few weeks ago when he asked again. When I declined, he began threatening me. But I won’t jeopardize my reputation by aiding a dishonest scheme. I deal with local NGOs and companies; I steer clear of government business,” Jussab explained.
He continued: “I won’t sacrifice my integrity to assist a swindler in deceiving the government. Everyone in the country knows his business practices, and I won’t partake in them.”
Jussab disclosed that he had planned a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia with his family. However, due to the ongoing dispute, his wife chose not to accompany him. He further stated that a day before his departure, Batatawala dispatched the police to arrest him, alleging he had stolen K3 million (Malawian Kwacha).
“I told the police to leave since they had no arrest warrant, and when they didn’t return, I travelled to Saudi Arabia with my son,” Jussab said.
Jussab claimed that upon his arrival in Saudi Arabia, Batatawala intensified his threats. “He threatened to harm me and my children, take my wife away, and destroy my businesses. Although I was supposed to return to Malawi, the British High Commission advised me against it due to the threats,” he added.
Despite holding British citizenship, Jussab grew up in Malawi and considers it his livelihood. Yet, due to the current circumstances, he believes returning would jeopardize his safety.
Jussab dismissed allegations of sending threatening messages to his father-in-law, asserting that he merely forwarded messages he received from others. He attributed the escalating tension to Batatawala’s financial resources and insinuated that he lacked the means to challenge him.
Abdul Karim Batatawala, a prominent Blantyre businessman, faces several charges, including corruption and money laundering, currently under trial. Last year, PIJ exposed how Batatawala defrauded institutions like the Malawi Defence Force, the Malawi Police, and the Immigration Department.
The investigation revealed that Batatawala’s goods were substandard, leading to rejections by the Malawi army. However, exploiting his connections and political influence, he managed to secure payments even for rejected procurements. Other public institutions, including the Malawi Police and Immigration Department, also fell prey to Batatawala’s dubious tactics, bypassing procurement and anti-corruption laws.
For instance, under Contract Number IM/01/85 dated 27th March 2010, the Immigration Department purchased lockers from Batatawala’s Africa Commercial Agency. The investigation found discrepancies in both pricing and procurement procedures.
For More News And Analysis About Malawi Follow Africa-Press
