Gerald Kampanikiza, News Reporter
BLANTYRE – Malawian Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima remains confident that any due process initiated to test the scurrilous allegations made against him would vindicate the hope that Malawians placed in him and looks forward to that occasion.
Through a statement released from his office signed by Director of Communications Pilirani Phiri dated 23rd June 2022, Chilima said he has taken note of the contents of a report submitted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to President Lazarus Chakwera as relayed in a national address made by the President on Tuesday 21st June, 2022.
“The report apparently makes serious allegations of criminal conduct against the State Vice President although, as correctly observed by the State President in his address, the Report does not present any detail of the alleged criminal conduct,” read the statement.
According to the statement, the Vice President finds the manner in which the Bureau has proceeded very troubling.
“The Bureau has in essence accused him of crime without providing any particulars or evidence in support of the crime,” it further revealed.
The statement added that the State Vice President finds it curious that, to date, the Bureau has not confronted him with the said allegations of criminal conduct so that he has the opportunity of making representations on the same.
“Instead, a prejudicial one sided public narrative has been sustained for months now which has incited public anger against the so called mentioned individuals who helplessly watch their lives being ruined as they wait for the opportunity to voice their side of the story,” it said.
Through the statement, Chilima highlighted that while the Bureau’s efforts to fight corruption deserve the unwavering support of all well-meaning Malawians, the fight must always be waged within the confines of the law.
“It must not be abused for political or other objectives, one requirement of the law is that every person must be presumed to be innocent until a competent court of law finds them guilty, and further that accusations of criminality should be made within the space of judicial proceedings,” He said through the statement.
He then said that he entered public service to serve the interests of Malawians, and that at no point has he ever been involved in any perverted or criminal scheme as suggested by the Bureau, or at all, nor has he ever deployed the office to which the people of Malawi entrusted him in aid of any perverted or criminal scheme.
