*MALAWI'S EX-PRESIDENT BANDA*

MALAWI'S ex-president Banda to return after four years exile.

Malawi's former president, Joyce Banda. is expected to fly home on Saturday after four-years of  elf-imposed exile, despite facing threat of arrest over corruption allegations.

Banda  fled the country in 2014    when she lost power   after being embroiled in the so called   Cashgate scandal, in which government officials siphoned off  millions of dollars public money.

Banda  -only the second woman to leas a country in Africa  -is due to land at Chileka International Airport outside Blantyre, the country's economic capital, at  midday [1000 GMT]  on a flight from Johannesburg.

Her spokesman Andekunye Chanthunya said she would head straight to her home at Domasi in Zomba, about 80 kilometers away.

Local media have reported a possible deal between President Peter Mutharika and Banda ahead of next year's elections.

Banda founded the  People's Party in 2011, after splitting from Democratic Progressive Party [DPP], which is led by Muthiarika.

''We will hear what her thoughts are on Sunday when she will address a political rally,'' Chanthunya told AFP.

''She remains the head of  the PP. The question of whether she wants to contest for the presidency or not will be answered in due course, but we get an idea of how she is thinking.'' [Agencies]