Maravi

God is great, says Mahtani

God is great, says Mahtani
By Chibaula Silwamba
Tue 04 Oct. 2011, 15:40 CAT

DR Rajan Mahtani says the Rupiah Banda-government grabbed Finance Bank from him and other shareholders in a politically-orchestrated manner out of jealousy, greed and pettiness but God is great that President Michael Sata has given it back.

Reacting to President Sata's reversal of the sale of Finance Bank to South African firm - FirstRand, Dr Mahtani told journalists at State House yesterday that he was grateful to the new President.

"I believe the truth has finally prevailed and I am very glad that
Zambian investment has been restored to Zambians for the benefit of
Zambia. And, at least, it safeguards a thousand employees that were
threatened with losing their jobs. Their jobs are now secure," Dr
Mahtani said. "The focus will be to take the bank to greater levels.

We were very fortunate that we had Credit Suisse as a 40 per cent
shareholder and they have continued to support us; they will come in
with us and I think it Finance Bank will end up being the number one
bank in Zambia."

He said former president Banda's government was unfair to the shareholders.
"It was all politically motivated with intentions to extort something
that didn't belong to them. I think it was just from envy, jealousy
and pettiness and greed on the part of those that were working at it,"
he said.

He explained that institutions such as Zambezi Portland Cement,
Odyssey and others that got loans from Finance Bank did not want to
pay back, hence made a lot of allegations which had now been proven to
be false.

He explained to reporters that he had had open heart surgery.
Dr Mahtani removed the lower part of his trousers and shirt to show
the wounds of where doctors cut the arteries from the leg to put on
the heart when they conducted the surgery on him.

"All the arteries were cut on both legs... For the previous regime to
have said that I had run away when there is this evidence could show
what orchestrated agenda they had, but God is great. It's God
Almighty's intervention," said Dr Mahtani.

The Banda-administration grabbed Finance Bank from Mahtani and other
shareholders and sold it to FirstRand for only K27 billion.

Labels: CORRUPTION, FINANCE BANK, RAJAN MAHTANI, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:22 PM