Maravi

Cops pursue Rupiah's campaign managers

Cops pursue Rupiah's campaign managers
By Chibaula Silwamba
Thu 15 Dec. 2011, 14:00 CAT

POLICE are pursuing Rupiah Banda's campaign managers Dr Boniface Kawimbe and Dr Martin Mtonga for interrogation in connection with campaign funds and materials. And MMD deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu yesterday confirmed receiving callouts addressed to Dr Kawimbe and Dr Mtonga.

Sources revealed that the investigators had summoned Dr Kawimbe and Dr Mtonga but the duo had not appeared for questioning for over a week since the call-outs were issued.

"The investigations into the source of the MMD and the former president's campaign funds are ongoing. The officers issued callouts to Dr Kawimbe and Dr Mtonga through the national secretary's office. They haven't been to the (former) Task Force offices for questioning. It seems the officers might just follow them wherever they are," the source said. "The duo will be interrogated soon."

When contacted for a comment, Nyangu confirmed receiving call-outs addressed to Dr Kawimbe and Dr Mtonga but said the duo had not yet been given the callouts because they are not reachable.

"Yes, I can confirm that I received them call-outs but we can't reach Dr Kawimbe and Dr Mtonga. They are not reachable. When I received them, I tried to get in touch with Dr Kawimbe and Dr Mtonga in their law enforcement officers' presence and even themselves they tried they couldn't get through to Dr Kawimbe and Dr Mtonga," Nyangu said.

"I still have them in the tray but Dr Mtonga and Dr Kawimbe have not been served with the call-outs. That is why they have not appeared because they are nowhere to be seen and have not been served with anything. Dr Kawimbe is believed to be somewhere in Northern Province but he cannot be reached at the farm where he is."

State investigators are probing the source of Banda's campaign funds that enabled him and the MMD put up an extravagant campaign ahead of the September 20 elections with hundreds of vehicles, bicycles, sweets, t-shirts, chitenje and other goodies - all branded with Banda's portrait and campaign messages.

The investigators have in the past summoned several people, including Banda's aides suspected to have information about the source of the funds.

The MMD had set up an in-house postmortem sub-committee, headed by former defence minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa, to investigate the cause of the party's defeat in the tripartite elections.

However, sources revealed that the Dr Mwansa-led subcommittee was recently disbanded soon after it summoned Dr Kawimbe and Dr Mtonga to explain the source of the campaign funds.

Banda, 74 who came to power in October 2008, lost the September 20 presidential poll to Michael Sata, also 74, in a tight contest that ended the MMD's 20-year rule.

Labels: BONIFACE KAWIMBE, CORRUPTION, MMD, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:15 PM