Mukhito, Chisale Denies TPIN–Cement Importation Charges
LILONGWE: A case in which former state house officials, Norman Chisale, Peter Mukhito, and three others are accused of abusing the TAX Payer Identification Number (TPIN) for the former President Arthur Peter Mutharika have denied the charge.
The five are suspected to have misused former President Mutharika’s TPIN to import cement worth MK5 billion duty-free between the month of November 2018 and June 2020.
Apart from Mukhito and Chisale the other notable accused persons are businessmen, Mahmed Chunara, former Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) Deputy Commissioner General Roza Mbilizi.
The case proceeded to plea-taking after the Court dismissed Chisale’s request to the High Court to stay criminal proceedings against him in the case as one of the State lawyers Dzikondianthu Malunda told the court that 16 witnesses will be parade in court but declined to divulge more details.
The five are facing counts of fraud, conspiracy to commit customs offenses, smuggling, aiding by abuse of office, making false documents, and money laundering among others and the he case has since been adjourned to a date that will be communicated to the Court by August 25, 2023