Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima has roped in former Attorney General Chikosa Silungwe to head his team of lawyers to help him navigate through the allegations of corruption now hanging over his head.
Friday morning it was alleged that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was planning to meet Chilima at his Area 43 residence in Lilongwe for interrogation over the matter.
As crowds of UTM supporters were arriving at the residence for moral support, Silungwe also arrived at the residence.
He confirmed that he was at the residence as Chilima’s legal counsel but when asked whether ACB will indeed be at the place he quickly said “No comment”.
Silungwe was accompanied by another lawyer George Mtchuka Mwale.
UTM Publicity Secretary Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo has since confirmed that they were expecting the ACB to interview Chilima Friday morning.
UTM supporters converged at Chilima’s Area 43 residence as one way of showing him support following reports of the ACB visit.
The supporters hanged outside the residence chanting songs of support to the Vice President who is also President of the Party.
In the songs, the supporters were heard saying they will not let anything bad to happen to their President, they are also asking God to fight their battles while others shouted “okuba yemweyo ife tilibe pambuyo pake”.
President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera early this week announced that he has withheld all delegated duties to the office of the vice president following allegations that Chilima personally received huge sums of money from Zuneth Sattar to influence award of contracts to the Malawi Police Service and the Malawi Defence Force.
Sattar’s issue is being handled by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and Chilima’s name first appeared in court documents in that country before the ACB also mentioned him in its report to President Chakwera.