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Malawi police have arrested former finance minister Joseph Mwanamveka and four other ex-government officials for their alleged involvement in embezzling approximately $250 million from two state-owned enterprises.

The arrested individuals include former secretary to the president Lloyd Muhara, ex-treasury secretary Cliff Chiunda, and the former CEO of the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority, Collins Magalasi.

The suspects are accused of misappropriating a total of 447.5 billion kwacha ($258 million) through fraudulent activities at the Salima Sugar Company and the Greenbelt Initiative.

The arrest followed an audit conducted in 2023, which exposed the financial irregularities at the Salima Sugar Company.

Kalekeni Kaphale, the lawyer representing the suspects, confirmed their arrests. According to police spokesperson Peter Kalaya, the arrests come after a thorough investigation prompted by the 2023 audit.

Police had previously apprehended former director of Salima Sugar, Shierish Betgiri, and three others in connection with the same case.

Kalaya added that the total number of individuals arrested in the case now stands at nine, with authorities still searching for Henry Njoloma, the former acting CEO of the Greenbelt Initiative, who remains at large.

The five arrested officials, who served in government from 2014 to 2020 under former president Peter Mutharika, are expected to appear in court after police conclude their investigation.

Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which governed Malawi until its defeat in 2020 by President Lazarus Chakwera, is now the country’s opposition party.

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