Malawi Recovers €516,975.21 in Barkaat Food Limited Fraud Case
This is according to a financial transaction document reviewed by AfricaBrief and a press release from the Attorney General's office.
LILONGWE, Malawi-Malawi's Office of the Attorney General, led by Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda, said it has successfully recovered €516,975.21 on behalf of the Malawi Government and the Smallholder Farmers Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) following a fraudulent scheme involving Barkaat Food Limited (Barkaat) and Bova Investments Corporation (Bova), writes Winston Mwale.
This is according to a financial transaction document reviewed by AfricaBrief and a press release from the Attorney General's office.
The recovery followed swift action by FIDOR Bank AG and German authorities, who intercepted and froze the funds in the bank account of Andrei Grünbaum, an Estonian collaborator of Barkaat and Bova, in July 2022, according to a statement from the Office of the Attorney General.
Criminal proceedings were initiated against Mr. Grünbaum in November 2022 by the Office of the Public Prosecutor in Munich.
Notable progress was made in the case by March of this year.
In May 2023, a final judgement was issued against Mr. Grünbaum, leading to proceedings for the repatriation of the funds to SFFRFM.
The case was successfully concluded on Thursday, August 17, 2023, with the Munich Court ordering the €516,975.21 to be returned to SFFRFM's Malawi bank account.
The recovery underscores the effectiveness of the German justice and legal systems, according to Chakaka-Nyirenda.
The Attorney General expressed gratitude to various stakeholders, including the Malawi High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, the Malawi Ambassador to Germany, and the former German Ambassador to Malawi, for their support.
Special mention was made of the Prosecutor General for Munich, his Deputy, and the Office of the Chief Prosecutor Munich 1 for their role in determining the proceedings against Mr. Grünbaum, as highlighted by Chakaka-Nyirenda.
The State President of Malawi, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, was commended for his guidance and support in the recovery efforts, said Chakaka-Nyirenda.
Notably, efforts to recover funds in the United States of America by Camden County, New Jersey, Prosecutors, and the Police are ongoing, with one of the principal fraudsters already apprehended and charged.
This serves as a warning to criminals that they will not escape justice for their actions, emphasised the Attorney General.
The Office of the Attorney General reiterated its commitment to pursuing individuals who have defrauded the country in the past, ensuring that what rightfully belongs to Malawi is returned and justice is served, concluded Chakaka-Nyirenda.
*Below is the document
