The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has obtained a preservation order against plot number Bwaila 13/123 which is connected to businessman Zuneth Sattar.
Obtained at the High Court sitting in Lilongwe, the order stops Sattar’s wife Tahera, his brother Sahzadh Rashid and their business partner Ahmed Abdul Rashid from conducting any business with plot.
The sland was bought by Tahera, Sahzadh and Rashid through their company ARS Holdings.
A sworn statement by ACB Senior Investigations Officer Shadreck Mpaso said the evidence collected and analysed by the bureau indicates that Bwaila plot 13/123 was obtained around April 2019 through an alleged fraudulent transfer of leasehold.
Mpaso said the land was obtained illegally, using a non-existent law firm to prepare lease agreement documents and parties to the deal impersonated one Christina Mlambuzi and presented her as the seller of the land.
“Mlambuzi denied ever having a plot, let alone transferring leasehold interest in any land to ARS Holdings. I believe that the name appearing in the transfer of lease agreement documents is a creature which was made to facilitate fraudulent disposal of plot no Bwaila 13/123,” Mpaso’s statement reads.
The ACB has also implicated an official from the Department of Lands who, it alleges, signed lease agreement forms on behalf of the Commissioner of Lands.
The land was acquired without a tax clearance certificate which is a fundamental prerequisite in the legal transfer of lease.
Mpaso said he believe that offences of forgery and uttering a false document, signing a document without written authority and abuse of office were committed in the production of documents.
“Investigations into the acquisition of plot number Bwaila 13/123 by ARS Holdings are complete and have affirmed the allegations in the complaint that the plot was acquired through fraud, forgery, uttering false documents and tax evasion,” he said
