Malawi’s first cashgate convict and former Tourism Ministry principal secretary (PS) Tressa Namathanga Senzani has withdrawn her bail application pending appeal against her sentence almost two weeks ago, The Nation has established.
Senzani was on October 7 this year sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment on offences of money laundering and theft, respectively.
She pleaded guilty to stealing K63 million (about $158 000), which she later returned, but vowed to appeal against her sentences as she considered them too harsh.
In her appeal application, her previous lawyer Necton Mhura failed to present papers to support the grounds, which led to Judge Ivy Kamanga postponing the application to a later day.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, both the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Senzani’s new lawyer, Ted Roka, confirmed the development.
ACB deputy director Reyneck Matemba said he got a letter on Tuesday, instructing him that the appeal would not continue.
“This is a welcome development for ACB. We objected this and we will continue to object it through and through and we will not relent. Plundering public funds is a serious crime and must be treated as such,” he said.
However, Matemba said reasons for the withdrawal were not outlined in the letter.
On his part, Roka confirmed the withdrawal, but could not specify if it was permanent.
“Yes, there is that development, but I cannot spell out the reasons to you. That is all I am prepared to say at the moment,” he said.
Senzani is the first Cashgate suspect to be convicted and sentenced after she was found guilty of stealing public funds. Her mansion in Area 6 is still being investigated.
