Ex-presidential adviser ‘Bill smuggling’ case to start soon
Former presidential adviser on special duties Pastor Martin Thom, who was arrested on alleged abuse of office and making false documents, is expected to be taken to court soon as the police are almost through with their investigations
In a telephone interview yesterday, Inspector General (IG) of police George Kainja said Thom is now back from India where he went for medical treatment.
Said the IG: “As police we are almost through with our investigation and the suspect will be taken to court soon.”
Thom was arrested on August 3 2021 along side Ministry of Finance Debt and Aid Management director Nations Msowoya in connection with a probe into the mysterious push of the Bill to the July 9 2021 Order Paper—an outline of business to be tackled in Parliament
The former aide was given a police bail without any conditions, according to his lawyer Slyvester Ayuba James .
In an earlier interview, the lawyer said his client was already scheduled to travel before he was arrested, and that he was cleared by the police to travel.
In an earlier interview, executive assistant and State House director of communications Sean Kampondeni said that prior to Thom’s arrest, the President had established that his adviser was involved in an “unsanctioned and undue pressure on independent government institutions”.
In its August 2 2021, our sister paper The Nation reported that Bill Number 22 of 2021—which sought to authorise government to borrow 98 360 000 euro (about K93 billion) to finance construction of houses for security agencies such as the Police and Malawi Defence Force—found its way on the Order Paper without the clearance of relevant offices, namely the Office of the Attorney General (AG), Cabinet Committee on Legal Affairs and Ministry of Justice. The Bill was later silently removed after the scandal came to light.
The aide is alleged to have cut corners and have the Bill tabled.
