Malawi banker arrested and accused of bribing judges

A Malawian banker has been arrested in connection with an investigation into allegations that judges who were hearing a challenge to the presidential election result were offered bribes.

FDH bank boss Thomson Mpinganjira was arrested on Wednesday night and was later released.

The anti-corruption bureau said Mr Mpinganjira had recording a statement at their Blantyre offices:

Then his lawyers secured a court order that revoked his arrest warrant and he was released.

The court order for his release bore no name according to Malawi's The Nation and Nyasa Times newspapers.

He has not commented on the case.

Earlier this month Malawi's Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda asked the country's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate bribery attempts.

The petition challenging President Peter Mutharika's win was filed by the candidates who came second and third in the May 2019 election.

President Mutharika was declared the winner with 1,940,709 votes, followed closely by the MCP's Lazarus Chakwera with 1,781,740.

UTM's Saulos Chilima, Mr Mutharika's former vice-president, came third with 1,018,369 votes.

BREAKING: A statement from ACB on the arrest of Thom Mpinganjira, CEO of FDH Bank.#NationOnline pic.twitter.com/gTq2NRF6vr

— NationOnline (@NationOnlineMw) January 22, 2020