|
|
|
|
| National |
| Police hunt for former minister Bagus |
|
by
Mc Donald Chapalapata, 07 September 2004
-
11:43:06
|
Police are looking for former cabinet minister and UDF Organising Secretary Salim Bagus to arrest him following a warrant of arrest obtained by the state on Thursday last week.
Principal State Advocate Mary Kachale said on Monday they obtained a warrant of arrest for the former minister on Thursday at the Chief Resident Magistrate in Lilongwe.
“Bagus flouted some provisions on embargo of goods contrary to the Customs and Excise Act. We are refining the charges now but the warrant of arrest was given to police to arrest him,” said Kachale.
Sources said Police have been hunting for Bagus since Thursday last week but they did not trace him at his residence in Blantyre.
But Nation Online managed to talk to Bagus on his mobile phone on Monday where he declined to comment on his impending arrest, referring this reporter to his lawyer James Masumbu.
Bagus was later spotted in Blantyre driving a white Toyota Camry Registration Number CP 640.
Masumbu said in an interview on Monday his client is not running away from the Police.
“He was out of the country and came in just yesterday (Sunday). We will be going to Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) this afternoon and then he will travel to Lilongwe tomorrow (today) to meet a policeman by the name Bob Mtekama who I am told wants to see him,” said Masumbu.
Bagus and another UDF politician Elwyn Maluwa are being probed by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) for alleged transactions involving millions of kwachas at the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom).
Bagus confirmed to the Weekend Nation of the probe two weeks ago but complained why, among several other suppliers to Escom, they only picked him and Maluwa, insisting the move is a political witch hunt.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
