Cash gate convict jailed to 7 years

High court in Lilongwe has sentenced a former assistant director in the Ministry of Tourism Leonard Kalonga to 7 and half years for money laundering.

Justce Fiona Mwale jailed Kalonga who was convicted on 26th August 2015.

Kalonga pleaded guilty for stealing money in the infamous 2013 siphoning of public funds scandal.

In his plea after admitting to have defrauded the government about 3.7 billion kwacha Kalonga told the court that the money was being stolen in 2013 to support former president Joyce Banda’s People’s party 2014 campaign.

“Kalonga mentioned another cash gate convict Osward Lutepo and former budget director Paul Mphwiyo as some of the accomplices,” said public relations officer for Director of Public Prosecution Chipiliro Masanjala.

In between Kalonga’s conviction and sentencing the state has used hm as principal witness in another cash gate case involving Mphwiyo.

He named Mphwiyo as a cash gate mastermind in the process.

Ant-corruption bureau first arrested Kalonga in October 2013 and he initially denied the charges of theft and money laundering but later pleaded guilty.