PAC gets tough on auditor general

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Steven Kamphasa

…gives him 14 days’ ultimatum

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Malawi parliament has given the auditor general Stephenson Kamphasa 14 days’ ultimatum to submit the 13 files of K236 billion forensic report covering the period between 2009 and 2014.

Steven Kamphasa
Steven Kamphasa hascome under fire.

Speaking to the local press PAC chairperson Alekeni Menyani argued that the auditor general has taken so long to release the names and companies believed to have siphoned huge sums of tax payer’s money.

Menyani faulted Kamphasa for lacking commitment on the matter despite being it controversial with some Members of Parliament arguing that the files contain names of cabinet ministers.

“The auditor general had rushed in with legal opinion that it was not proper to do so and that we should wait for investigations that were already at an advanced stage at that time but between then and now it seems that was a ploy to frustrate those that wanted the nation to know the truth.

“And let me take this opportunity to ask the auditor general that within 14 days he should surrender the 13 files to the office of the speaker of the national assembly,” said Menyani.

The Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) data analysis of May 2015 disclosed that K236 billion was stolen from public purse and not K577 billion.

The development led to a verbal spat between President Peter Mutharika and lawmaker Kamlepo Kalua who accused the Malawi leader for shielding the suspects who happen to be his ministers.

Despite Mutharika insisting that he had no names of people involved in the looting of funds, Kalua explained that the oath he took blocks him from revealing the names.