This may sound as a fiction but it is not. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government had shoddy dealings with Pioneer Foods, to the extent that the latter donated K145 million to the current main opposition party.
After smelling a rat, the Youth and Society (YAS) sought legal redress to force DPP to refund the money to account number one. This came after YAS had suspected that the money was part of a payment which Pioneer Foods had received from public resources under circumstances of breach of fiduciary duties committed by a senior officer at the Malawi Police Service (MPS). Some illegal contracts were suspected between MPS and Pioneer Foods in 2017.
If the statement released by the DPP, duly signed by its Spokesperson, Shadric Namalomba, is something to go by, then DPP has accepted to have received bribes from Pioneer Foods.
DPP spokesperson has communicated that the party has resolved a court case which was commenced by Youth and Society (YAS) against the it and two other individuals as the DPP was asked to refund a sum MK145 million which the party received from Pioneer Foods as a donation.
“DPP wishes to disassociate itself and its leadership from dealings by Pioneer Foods and hereby expresses regret for accepting the donation from Pioneer Foods and the subsequent error of judgement in swiftly refunding the money to Pioneer Foods,” says the Namalomba.
According to DPP, after learning about the above accusations, the party refunded the controversial MK145 million to Pioneer Foods. The spokesperson is of the view that the whole illegal transaction has dealt DPP a huge blow as its reputation has been adulterated.
In simple terms, DPP regrets being involved in corruption, and since refunded all the money that was illegally acquired from Pioneer Foods.
The erstwhile administration is a suspect of myriad fraud and corruption related activities, most of which are yet to undergo prosecution.