Tembenu: Govt ready with Cashgate names
Minister of Justice Samuel Tembenu yesterday told Parliament that government is ready to release the names of people involved in the Cashgate after consultation with prosecuting authorities.
He said this when he presented a ministerial statement to the House after MPs asked him to release names of people who were involved in the scam.
According to the minister, the UK-based auditors, Baker Tilly, have submitted the final report containing actual names of people who were involved in the scam but he was quick to say that the names are only going to be released after consultation with the prosecution team.
Tembenu said Cashgate was not just about civil servants stealing from Capita Hill.
“I can say without fear or contradiction that Cashgate was not about civil servants. It was a rot from above sanctioned by top officials on instruction of their masters whose identities we are beginning to discover,” said the minister.
He further told the House that investigations and prosecution are ongoing processes, but he said so far 50 cases are in court and that some more cases will be filed in due course.
Said Tembenu: “We have made good progress on the audit part as evidenced by the final release of the Baker Tilly forensic report .”
He, however, told the House that the major challenge has been the recovery of the money as the matters are still in court.
He added that the other challenge was that most intermediaries that were used to siphon billions of government money are asking for plea bargaining when the country does not have the necessary legal framework for it.
“When we start further arrests we know people will start saying its political witch-hunting, but we are committed to do the right thing at all cost,” said Tembenu.
He further told the House that in view of the new and emerging evidence in the audit report, the Peter Mutharika administration has approached the British Government for technical support in fraud investigation and asset-tracing to ensure effective investigation that should result in successful prosecution of suspects as well as recovery of stolen money.
Meanwhile, Parliament yesterday adjourned sine die after meeting for five weeks.
Among major issues tackled was the passing of the K737 billion kwacha budget last week and seven other bills.
