The Police in Blantyre through The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) have arrested five senior Mapeto David Whiteheads and Sons (DWS) officials on charges sounding technical smuggling.
The five are Director Faizal Gaffar Latif, Managing Director Mohamed Gaffar, Financial Controller Abdul Rashid Bakali, Procurement Manager Yaseen Muhammad, and General Manager Martin Chapasi-Mpata.
According to the information FaceofMalawi sourced, the rest were arrested on Friday, May 21 while Faizal Gaffar Latif surrenders himself to MRA over the weekend.
Mapeto DWS is allegedly being accused of declaring fabrics as raw materials, under-declaring sales, as well as under-declaring salaries for expatriates.
According to MRA head of Corporate Affairs, Steven Kapoloma the authority has for the past 4 weeks been investigating the 5 following a tip from the public.
The five top officials were arrested for tax evasion case leveled against the company.
The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) arrested the five for various offences committed while discharging their duties, exercises in which money amounting to 10 billion kwacha was defrauded through taxes.
The five are: Fazial Gaffar Latif, who is the Director, Mohammed Gaffa, who serves as Managing Director as well as Abdul Rashid Bakali, who is the company’s Financial Controller, Yaseemn Muhammed, the company’s procurement officer and Martin Chapasi Mpata, who serves as General Manager.
Jai Banda, one of the lawyers representing the accused said the five will appear in court today to be formally charged.