The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has given the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) a 14-day ultimatum to publicly disclose the status of the high-profile Mapeto tax evasion case, in which five executives are accused of evading K16.5 billion in taxes.
In a letter dated May 4, 2026, addressed to the MRA Commissioner General and copied to the Director of Public Prosecutions, CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa invoked the Access to Information (ATI) Act, calling for transparency and closure on the matter.
“Malawians, who are both voters and taxpayers, were reliably informed that the five individuals were arrested on multiple offences, including K10.8 billion in tax evasion, a figure later revised to K16.5 billion,” reads part of the letter.
The case dates back to May 23, 2021, when the MRA arrested four executives of Mapeto David Whitehead and Sons Limited: Managing Director Mahomed Gaffar, Abdul Rashid Bakali, Yassen Bakali, and Martin Mpata. A fifth executive, Faisal Gaffar Latif, surrendered to authorities the following day.
“K16.5 billion is not small change,” Namiwa emphasized, urging the revenue authority to update the public and help Malawians find closure on the long-standing case.
As of now, neither the MRA nor the Mapeto executives have publicly responded to the renewed demand. The case remains one of the largest alleged tax evasion investigations in Malawi’s recent history.
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