Jappie Mhango granted bail after being arrested by the ACB over corruption allegations

* He has been charged with two counts of abuse of office and giving false information to the Anti-Corruption Bureau

* Contrary to section 25B (1) and giving false information to the Bureau contrary to section 14 (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act

By Augustus Nkhwazi, MANA

Principal Resident Magistrate Court in Mzuzu yesterday granted bail to former Cabinet Minister, who was arrested on Monday by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) over abuse of office.

In his bail ruling, Chief Resident Magistrate, Godfrey Balaka said where major factors in granting an accused person bail are not disputed by the prosecution, denying such accused bail will not be in the interest of justice.

Among conditions Balaka outlined were that the accused — who is current vice-president for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for the North — was to make a cash deposit of K1 million; provide two reliable surities bonded at K500, 000 each not cash; report to ACB offices once in every two weeks on Wednesdays; and surrender his travel documents.

Mhango and has been charged with two counts of abuse of office and giving false information to the Bureau, contrary to section 25B (1) and giving false information to the Bureau contrary to section 14 (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act.

Earlier, ACB’s principal legal & prosecution officer, Daniel Nyasulu told the court that they brought Mhango before court to formerly inform him of the reasons for his arrest.

Nyasulu, however, stated that the state is not ready with plea taking as there are some two more suspects in the same case who have not been arrested yet.

Mhango was arrested on Monday and spent a night at Mzuzu Police Station. He was moved earlier in morning to ACB offices where he was recorded caution statements before being brought before court later in the afternoon of Tuesday.

The former Minister of Transport & Public Works was arrested on allegations that in 2016 an 2017, as a Cabinet Minister “misused his public office for the advantage of Cuthbert Mhango and 11 others when he arbitrarily authorised the sale of houses belonging to the Ministry of Transport & Public Works at under-valued prices of MK2.95 million leading to loss of Government revenue”.

In a statement, ACB principal public relations officer, Egrita Ndala said it is further alleged that on April 11, 2022 Mhango “provided false information” to ACB officers by indicating that “he does not know the landlord of the house which is rented by his second wife, Thokozile Wanda at Chimaliro in Mzuzu City.

The ACB indicated that it is a “fact the said house was bought from Ministry of Transport & Public Works at the time he was the responsible Minister and it is owned by his direct relative by the name of Cuthbert Mhango”.—Edited by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express