Malawi vice president held over graft allegations, watchdog says
The Anti-Corruption Bureau has arrested and charged Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima over graft allegations, it said on Friday, following months of investigation.
In June, President Lazarus Chakwera stripped Mr Chilima of his powers when the watchdog first accused him of corruption. But at the time the president said he had no constitutional authority to suspend or remove the vice president from office. He however barred Mr Chilima from carrying out his duties.
Mr Chilima was taken to court to face corruption charges, the graft watchdog said in a statement.
Local media footage showed Chilima supporters and the police seemingly in a scuffle as he was being taken into court for the formal reading of charges.
“I have no comment to make. We will let the court process run its course,” he told reporters after being granted bail, according to media.
The watchdog alleged Mr Chilima was rewarded for assisting Xaviar Limited and Malachitte FZE, two companies connected to British businessman Zuneth Sattar, to be awarded contracts by the Malawi government. It has been investigating Mr Sattar and other public officers in Malawi over alleged plundering of state resources by influencing awarding of contracts through the country’s public procurement system, it said.
“On 25th November, 2022, the Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima ... on allegation that between March 2021 and October 2021, he received advantage in form of money amounting to US$280,000 (10 million baht) and other items from Zuneth Sattar as a reward,” the bureau said.