Malawi gives fraudsters 60-day amnesty

Malawi's Attorney-General Thabo Nyirenda has issued a 60-day amnesty to firms and individuals which have ‘fraudulently acquired wealth’ through contracts with a controversial businessman to voluntarily pay back the funds. Government's chief legal adviser, Chakaka Nyirenda, has urged all affected parties to produce copies of contracts with entities owned by, or connected with, Zuneith Sattar. The Nyasa Times reports that the AG said that in terms of section 46(c) of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act, government enjoys immunity from paying a supplier lost profits and any other compensation save for the payment of goods supplied or services rendered and expenses reasonably incurred. ‘In addition, all companies owned by, or connected with, Mr Zunieth Sattar remain barred from public procurement,’ the AG’s office stated. The general amnesty relates to the 77 cashgate files that are before the prosecution authorities which implicate commercial banks that allegedly facilitated the scandal. Sattar is accused of fraudulently obtaining contracts from the Malawi Police Service and Malawi Defence Force ‘using underhand tactics’. Nyirenda said his office was working with the UK Government to recover any money that might have been illicitly transferred from Malawi.