ACB wants to recover K84.9m in Cashgate case

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has applied to the High Court in Lilongwe, seeking authorisation to confiscate property belonging to Cashgate convicts Caroline Savala, Leonard Kalonga and Florence Chatuwa worth K84 million.

The High Court in Lilongwe convicted Savala, Kalonga and Chatuwa on July 18 2015 of theft and money laundering of K84.9 million.

ACB special prosecutor Kamudoni Nyasulu argued that if the three fail to pay back the money they stole from government, the court should rule that they should serve an extra 10 years imprisonment.

He told the court that the State intends to recover the money from Savala, Kalonga, and Chatuwa using the Money Laundering Act, which states that government can recover money lost due to serious crime from a convicted person and a person who benefited or was connected to the offence.

However, Nyasulu informed the court that Chatuwa, who benefitted from the K84.9 million, disappeared before she could be sentenced. He said government will soon make a public announcement on the issue through the media.

But Savala, who is serving a seven-year jail term, wondered why the matter was coming to the court at a time when the court had already punished her.

She further told the court that she could not be asked to reimburse the money when she is in prison and has no source of income.

On his part, Kalonga asked the court to guide him if there was a way of consolidating the charge sheets because he was still answering other Cashgate related cases.

“I need to know if I shall be required to pay back the money for similar charges I am answering,” asked Kalonga.

Justice Fiona Mwale adjourned the matter for five days. n