ACB returns Muluzi’s vehicles

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has returned over 60 vehicles it seized from former  president Bakili Muluzi despite his ongoing corruption case at the High Court, Nation on Sunday can reveal.
Through a 2009 court order, the bureau, which is prosecuting the K1.6 billion corruption case, seized 63 vehicles which it suspected were bought using corruption earnings.

 
But an out-of-court agreement between ACB and Muluzi lawyers led to the release of the vehicles earlier this year.
The agreement was subsequently validated by a court consent, ACB deputy director Reyneck Matemba disclosed in an interview.
The vehicles include several oppositon-party branded United Democratic Party (UDF) Nissan Hardbody vehicles which were registered in Muluzi’s name. They were being kept at ACB’s various offices in the country.
Matemba said the bureau consented to the release of the vehicles in April after Muluzi’s lawyers wrote the bureau in February asking for release of the vehicles, citing rapid deteriorating condition of the vehicles.

 
“We wrote them back, saying we had accepted the proposal. We, however, maintained the custody of the vehicles’ bluebooks so that no one could change their ownership prior to the conclusion of the court case. We feel it’s only fair because the vehicles’ conditions were really deteriorating.”
“We assigned our officers to verify all the vehicles and their conditions before they were released since they were stationed throughout the country.  One thing I would like to put on record is that the vehicles were really deteriorating in our custody,” he said.
Matemba said the scenario was unprecedented, but said the decision was informed by the unique circumstances of the case.
He also quashed fears that Muluzi was being given special treatment, arguing the decision was made long before the bureau and the country changed leadership.

 
“We are not destroying evidence in any way…I think it’s a good move because the vehicles can best be managed by the former president. So if we win the case, we can salvage something for the State in form of vehicles in good state and if Muluzi wins, he can also salvage something in form of his property in good condition,” reasoned Matemba.
Muluzi could not be reached for comment, but one of the lawyers in his legal team, Jai Banda, expressed ignorance of the development on Thursday.
“I am honestly not aware of anything. I don’t know anything at all. Since the case has taken a long time, maybe I could have forgotten it, but I don’t remember hearing such a thing,” said Banda.

 
Muluzi, Malawi’s first democratic president was charged with corruption and abuse of office for allegedly diverting donor funds into his personal accounts.
The corruption case, now in Constitutional Court, has been protracted since 2011 due to among other reasons, the former president’s health concerns. n