Africa-Press – Malawi. While Malawi was still celebrating the capture of fugitive fraudster Elijah Dukuma Msiska, another shadow emerged from the corridors of power and privilege — this time wearing a much more familiar face. Davie Shenko Kaunda, the son of former Cabinet Minister and DPP heavyweight Symon Vuwa Kaunda, is now at the center of explosive allegations of grand theft and betrayal, in what may be the latest chapter in Malawi’s worsening white-collar crime wave.
The accusations come from none other than Henry Phwanthe — a UK-based Malawian businessman whose previous case against Msiska led to a manhunt so intense, it earned the suspect a K40 million bounty. But in a scathing social media exposé, Phwanthe says that while Msiska may be behind bars, the thieving hasn’t stopped — it’s just changed hands.
And this time, he says, the betrayal cut deeper. Because this wasn’t just a con by a stranger. This was sabotage from within. From people he trusted. From friends. From a minister’s son.
“Imagine your own friends defrauding you of millions and going to bed like nothing happened,” he raged. “Davie Shenko Kaunda, your time is numbered. You and your crew of smiling snakes will pay back every tambala you stole from me. Show for show.”
The post didn’t mince words. It painted a picture of greed, deceit and privilege — a “Judas-class” betrayal by individuals close enough to stab him in the back while shaking his hand. Kaunda is accused of conspiring with Phwanthe’s inner circle to siphon off millions in yet another elite-led, mafia-style fraud.
No official charge has yet been brought against Kaunda, and attempts to get comment from either him or his father have been met with silence. But in a country where the children of the powerful are rarely held to account, silence is often louder than guilt.
Phwanthe’s public outrage continued in Chichewa for emphasis, firing a warning shot to all involved:
“Kuba basi, kumashayina pa town mutaba ndalama za anthu. Zi zokha nde mubweza!”
(It’s always theft. You flaunt stolen money like trophies. But you will pay it back. Every last coin.)
Lawyer-Turned-Accomplice? The Scandal Spreads
As if the drama wasn’t explosive enough, Phwanthe also hinted that Malawi’s legal elite is tangled in the web. He confirmed that a prominent Blantyre-based lawyer — a former Chancellor College classmate — had been arrested last month in connection with Msiska’s original scam. Though the lawyer’s name is protected by legal proceedings, his status isn’t.
“He was arrested, released, and thinks it’s over. It’s not. He belongs in Maula with Msiska.”
This statement implies that Malawi’s justice system isn’t just failing to protect citizens — it’s shielding criminals in robes and suits, people who know how to bend the system because they helped build it.
From Msiska to Kaunda: Malawi’s Millionaire Mafia?
What began as a chase for one fraudster is morphing into something far uglier — a deep and rotting system where criminals wear blazers instead of balaclavas, and where theft has become a club for the politically connected. If Phwanthe’s latest revelations are true, then Malawi isn’t just dealing with a rogue fraudster — it’s facing a full-blown network of economic sabotage.
This isn’t just a scandal. It’s a signal. That power protects the corrupt. That politics and privilege are now the camouflage of criminals. And that unless citizens like Phwanthe keep blowing the whistle, Malawi may never know how much has been stolen — or by whom.
Stay tuned. The flames are rising.
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