Malawi arrests 15 more for looting Covid funds
Malawi continues to arrested people implicated in looting of about US$7.95 million ( K6.2 billion) funds meant to fight the coronavirus in Malawi.
RUSTENBURG, April 22 (ANA) – Fifteen more government officials were arrested in connection with the misuse of about US$7.95 million (K6.2 billion) funds meant to fight the coronavirus in Malawi, police said on Thursday.
The arrest bring to 61 the total number of people arrested since Sunday.
“Five arrested officials are from Blantyre City Council. They include Richard Chakhala, director of finance. Ten arrested officials are from the ministry of information, accounts department. They include Alick Kampeza, Civic education officer, Malawi Police Service (MPS) spokesperson James Kadadzeka said.
“The suspects will be answering charges of theft by public servant and fraudulent accounting among other charges. MPS detectives are still on the ground and more arrests will follow.”
The net is closing down on officials who allegedly abused the Covid-19 funds, after an audit ordered by President Lazarus Chakwera revealed that government officers and the private sector misspent about US$ 1.3 million of the funds through procurement and allowances irregularities.
He ordered the audit in February following media reports that the Covid-19 funds were being abused.
Chakwera cracked the whip on Covid-19 fund looters on Sunday, sacking Labour Minister Ken Kandodo.
Kandodo reportely borrowed US$766.627 (K613 000) from the Covid-19 funds to use it as his allowances when he accompanied Chakwera on his first official visit to South Africa in November last year.
Chakwera said even though Kandodo returned the money, he cannot have him in his cabinet.
News website Malawi24, reported that businessperson Martin Mainja, Dominic Chimaliro and Rashid Mtelera, an administration officer in the office of the president appeared briefly in the Lilongwe Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, in connection with looting Covid-19 funds.
Their case was postponed for nine days for investigation.
According to Malawi24, citing the audit report Mtelera allegedly hand-picked a company owned by Mainja to fumigate 26 buildings at Capital Hill, Kamuzu Palace and City Centre in July last year.
This was done even though there was no need to contract a private company considering that Lilongwe District Health Office already has capacity to fumigate the buildings.
The company was allegedly used disinfection materials provided by the government,
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Devereaux Morkel
