Malawian authority issue warrant of arrest for her former leader Joyce Banda

Malawian authority have issued an arrest warrant for former president Joyce Banda over alleged abuse of office and money laundering offences while in office police spokesman said on Monday.

Meanwhile, Banda who was in officer over a two-year period through her spokesman has denied any wrongdoing.

The alleged offences were part of a wider corruption scandal uncovered in 2013, in which senior government office siphoned millions of dollars from state coffers, national police spokesman James Kadadzera said.

Investigations by police's fiscal and fraud department had "unearthed credible evidence" against Banda, he said. "The evidence gathered raises reasonable suspicion that the former President committed offences related to abuse of office and money laundering.

The warrant of arrest is in force and necessary legal formalities are being pursued," Kadadzera said in a statement.

Banda, who was Malawi's president for two years from 2012, left the country when she lost in elections to incumbent Peter Mutharika and has not returned since 2014