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The former president of Malawi, Joyce Banda, is expected to return home this week after nearly four years of self-imposed exile in the wake of the biggest financial scandal in the country's history.

Her spokesman Nowa Chimpeni said Mrs Banda planned to rebuild and "reorganise" her People's Party, ahead of elections in 2019. Many members abandoned her party, AFP new agency reports.

Mrs Banda has lived in the US, South Africa and the UK since fleeing Malawi in 2014.

Last year, police issued an arrest warrant for her in connection with the scandal, known as "cashgate", in which senior government officials siphoned off millions of dollars from state coffers.

Mrs Banda has denied claims of abuse of office and money laundering.

A police spokesperson declined say to whether she would be detained on arrival.