The tenth witness in a K107 million laundering case involving former Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) Chief Executive Officer Collins Magalasi alongside three others, has told the Court in Lilongwe that the fourth accused Dorothy Shonga opened a business bank account at CDH Investment Bank.

According to the witness, Gilson Bonongwe who works with CDH Bank, Shonga opened the account alongside Turkish man named Viecca Paul who were business partners with 50% shareholding in Vink Enterprise Limited.

Director of Public Prosecutions Steven Kayuni said the State has three more witnesses to testify before close of prosecution stage.

“We have paraded 10 witnesses and we have three witnesses to go, very brief witnesses before we close the case.
We are happy with the testimony but then the overall decision is that of the honourable court that assesses,” said Kayuni.

On Monday, the trial failed to proceed with witnesses testifying because lawyer representing Magalasi; Andy Kaonga was reportedly not feeling well.
Chief Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa has since adjourned hearing of the trial to 14th and 15th March 2022.

According to the State, Magalasi, Bright Mbewe, Patrick Maulidi and Dorothy Shonga Nkhoma between August 2019 and July 2020, by deceit, namely, inducing the Internal Procurement and Disposal Committee for the said MERA to approve procurement of various items whose total payment value was K 107 million from Vink Enterprises owned by Nkhoma.

The four accused persons are answering counts bordering on fraud, money laundering, making false statement and uttering false document.