Corruption case on property mogul Faizal Aboo stalls

Corruption case involving property developer Faizal Aboo on allegations that he attempted to bribe a senior official at Malawi’s Ministry of Finance with K5 million (about $16 666) cash and an up-market house is not making progress  with fears of ‘money exchanging hands’.

Aboo is said to have attempted to bribe Thom Malikebu in 2010 when he was head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). Malikebu left the unit for another job in Tanzania.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)  spokesperson Egrita Ndala confirmed that the bureau  completed investigating the matter but prosecution has stalled.

State Advocate Pacharo Kayira, who is part of the government legal team prosecuting the matter, is on record to have confirmed in the press that  that Aboo is facing official corruption charges.

Aboo: Accused

Pacharo Kayira: Matter in court

FIU is an autonomous central national body reporting directly to the Minister of Finance. It was established under the Money Laundering, Proceeds of Serious Crimes and Terrorist Financing Act of 2006.The unit collects information, substantiates it and forwards it to investigating authorities such as ACB, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Fiscal and Fraud Police Unit (FFU), National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA).

FIU also coordinates and strengthens efforts of national and international intelligence and enforcement agencies in pursuing the global efforts to fight money laundering, terrorist financing and related crimes.

Aboo has interests in various residential and commercial properties in Blantyre and Lilongwe cities apart from other enterprises. This is not the only bribery case Aboo, who is also known as Gaffar Abdul, is facing.

The businesmaa is also accused of trying to bribe a police officer, Alice Ngamie, in July 2009 with K500 000 to induce her to drop criminal charges against him in a case involving possession of and dealing in foreign currency without permission.

Aboo is also accused of attempting to offer K100 000 to another police officer, detective sergeant Donnex Ben, to drop a case, also in July 2009.

According to court records, Aboo is an accused person in a case he asked  the officer to surrender to him (evidence seized by the police from an illegal forexbureau in Limbe in connection with a case of possession of and dealing in foreign currency without a permit.

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