Elvis Thodi
By Duncan Mlanjira
Former director general of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Elvis Thodi and the current deputy director Limbani Chawinga have been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in relation to suspected corrupt practices in procurement contracts for uniforms and other accessories department between 2009 and 2012.
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According to reports trending on social media, a reliable source at the ACB is quoted as saying Thodi was arrested in Lilongwe Thursday transferred to Blantyre while Chawinga was arrested yesterday.
ACB’s spokesperson Egrita Ndala is quoted as saying she was still gathering information on the matter.
They have joined growing list of people on the radar of corruption charges that include the arrest of Abdul Karim Batatawala and Fletcher Nyirenda, commissioner responsible for operations at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services in relation to award of a contract to Abdul Karim Batatawala.
A statement from Ndala said Batatawala and Nyirenda were arrested two on Wednesday after investigations conducted by the Bureau established that the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services awarded the contract to Abdul Karim Batatawala without following procurement procedures which led to Malawi Government losing MK4.7 billion.
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“Mr. Batatawala is likely to be charged with conspiracy to defraud contrary to Section 323 of the Penal Code,” says the statement, adding that Nyirenda is likely to be charged with one count of abuse of office contrary to Section 25 B (1) as read with Section 35 of the Corrupt Practices Act and conspiracy to defraud contrary to Section 303 of the Penal Code.
“They will be taken to Court after the Bureau has interviewed them,” Ndala said.
Another statement also issued on Thursday, says the ACB received an allegation on June 23, 2021 which, among other things, alleged that the Ministry of Energy deliberately side-lined the Internal Procurement and Disposal Committee (IPDC) in procuring powerline construction materials for the Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (MAREP) Phase 9, referenced as MAREP-PH9-G-NCB-2020/2021FY-08.
“The Bureau conducted investigations into the allegation and established that Mr. Cassius Chiwambo abused his office by influencing the evaluation team to favour DECO, Ackon, KK Hardware, Gabs, Two Trees, Business Machines and West One, which were some of the bidders.
“On 15th December, 2021, the Bureau arrested Mr. Cassius Chiwambo. He will be taken to court to be informed of the charges. He is likely to be charged with two counts of abuse of office contrary to Section 25 B (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act.
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The arrests follow that of prominent former Cabinet Ministers, Joseph Mwanamveka, Ben Phiri and former Reserve Bank of Malawi, Dalitso Kabambe.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda is set to seize property owned by private firms and contractors who have been engaging in dubious deals with government departments and agencies (MDAs).
He targets to recover over K50 billion every quarter from the suspension of business deals and that recover money which MDAs paid to firms for goods and services that were not delivered.
The AG has since stopped Malawi Police and Malawi Defence Force (MDF) from dealing with some companies that were faulted to have making unsubstantiated claims of over K2 trillion without delivering goods and services that they were contracted to do.
Some of the firms are reported to have connections with UAE, UK and Switzerland and Lido Electrical & Engineering, African Commercial Agency, Kasco Enterprises, SS Express Ahency, HH General Dealers, Gratolite General Dealers, Novatech Engineering Supplies, Jets2000, Elegant General Dealers, Iris Group SA, L&G Tools & Engineering, Challenge International, Ary Solutions, Milton Connection, Universal Kit Supplies, and Reliance Trading owned by Karim Abdul Batatawala.
