Malawi’s Vice President, Saulos Chilima was on Friday charged to court for allegedly accepting bribes in exchange for awarding government contracts. He is accused of receiving $280,000 from a British businessman, Zunnet Sattar
He had all his powers stripped by President Lazarus Chekwera when the allegations were made public in June by the country’s anti-graft agency.
The beleaguered Chilima pleaded not guilty to the charges in court and is now out on bail.
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He faces six charges, the first time a sitting Vice President has been in this situation in Malawi.
He was questioned by anti-corruption officials in offices that had been cordoned off by security officers. Previous attempts to question him had been disrupted by his supporters who at the Friday arraignment clashed with police as he entered the court in the capital, Lilongwe.
While some Malawians see the arrest as a serious move in the fight against corruption, Chilima’s backers say that it is part of a political witch hunt.
Dr Chilima came to power in 2020 as the running mate of President Lazarus Chakwera. They are from different political parties but entered a coalition to defeat then-incumbent Peter Mutharika.
The Vice President had previously campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, promising to end decades of sleaze in government and ending poverty in one of the world’s poorest countries.
Editor: Terverr Tyav
