In a dramatic twist of events in the ongoing shooting case of former Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo, Cashgate convict Oswald Lutepo has told the court that former Malawi Congress Party (MCP) President John Tembo benefited from the money plundered at Capitol Hill.

Lutepo said this when he was summoned to testify in the shooting case of Paul Mphwiyo where former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ralph Kasambara, former Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldier MacDonald Kumwembe and Pika Monondo are being accused of attempting to kill Mphwiyo.

In his testimony, Lutepo told the court that former President Dr. Joyce Banda gave him money amounting to MK10 million to fund Tembo during MCP convention.

According to Lutepo, Banda wanted a weaker candidate to emerge in the MCP camp so that her party could not face strong opposition during the May 2014 elections.

Lutepo said Manondo, one of the suspects in the shooting was entrusted with the role of delivering the money adding that up to K5 million bankrolled the operation.

Lutepo is currently serving a 11-years jail sentence in Malawi prisons.

Meanwhile the case is continuing this afternoon with former People’s Party (PP) vice President for the South Brown Mpinganjira scheduled to testify in the case.