The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Masauko Chamkakala, has dropped the cementgate cases against two businesspersons, Mahmed Shafee Ahmed Chunara and Ahmed Mohammed Chunara.

The duo was among five individuals accused of misusing former President Peter Mutharika’s presidential privilege to import duty-free goods for personal use.

Chamkakala confirmed this development with one of the local newspapers Nation Publications Limited (NPL) , adding that one of the two will become a state witness, although he did not disclose the identity of the individual.

Chamkakala said: “They have admitted liability to the tax infractions and are paying the tax and penalties as prescribed under the relevant tax laws.”

He added that he needed to verify the exact amount to be repaid.

Documents filed in the High Court in 2022 revealed that between November 2018 and December 2019, Mahmed Shafee Ahmed Chunara allegedly imported 1,250,770 bags of cement duty-free, claiming it was for Mutharika’s personal use.

The remaining suspects include Mutharika’s former bodyguard, Norman Paulosi Chisale, former director general of State Residences, Peter Mukhito, and former Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) deputy commissioner general, Roza Mbilizi.

Source:NPL