PAC to subpoena Attorney General to appear before it at 17h30 on Wednesday, March 18

Attorney General Frank Farouk Mbeta

* After failing to attend the meeting due to other commitments and requesting the Committee to set another date

* As PAC continues probing key stakeholders on the purchase of the Amallyris Hotel for K128 billion by Public Service Pension Trust Fund (PSPTF)

By Innocent Manda, MANA

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has asked Parliament’s legal team to subpoena the Attorney General (AG), Frank Farouq Mbeta to appear before it at 17h30 on Wednesday, March 18 after failing to attend this morning’s meeting due to other commitments and requesting the Committee to set another date.

The AG is involved in the controversial purchase of the Amallyris Hotel for K128 billion by Public Service Pension Trust Fund (PSPTF), which the PAC is probing through engaging all key stakeholders involved.

According to a letter read by PAC chairperson Steve Malondela before committee members, which was received from the AG’s office at 08h45, indicates that, due to other commitments, he would not be able to attend the meeting and requested the Committee to set another date.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Nkhata Bay Central, Vuwa Kaunda has asked the PAC chairperson to engage the Fiscal and Fraud Section of the CID under the Malawi Police Service to conduct a parallel investigation into the controversial sale.

The probe by PAC has been supported by President Arthur Peter Mutharika, who  reiterated in a public statement his administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law in the ongoing PAC inquiry.

The President indicated that the inquiry taking place is proof of the government’s resolve to allow oversight institutions to work without interference and further reaffirmed his government’s stance in the fight against corruption.

He added that public office is a sacred trust bestowed by the people of Malawi and that any misuse of public resources or influence for personal gain is a serious betrayal of that trust — thus Mutharika assured the Public Accounts Committee of his full support and pledged that he will not shield anyone involved in corruption.

Thus PAC continues to meet stakeholders who were involved in the deal, which according to the PSPTF chairperson, James Daire Kumwenda at the hearings, confirmed-what-Malawi-Law-Society-revealed-that-former-spc-colleen-zamba-influenced-purchase-of-amaryliss-hotel/.

Initially, owners of Amaryllis Hotel, yusuf-investments-ltd-first-demanded-k185-billion-as-sale-offerfrom the PSPTF Board of Trustees, who then counter-offered at K110 billion but the owners reduced to K160 billion before getting to K150 billion.

When the PSPTF went to K123 billion, the two parties finally agreed at K128.75 billion — that is to have K132 billion minus K123 billion then divided by 2 “so that either party loses some sort”.—Edited by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express